


Thranduil's Tiger

by TigereyesF



Category: Thranduil - Fandom
Genre: Actor Thranduil, Angst, Anonymous Messaging, Attempted Suicide, Caring Thranduil, Death, Deceit, Dementia Unit, Elderly Patients, Erotic Thranduil, F/M, Help And Support, Illness, Modern Thranduil, Movie Forum, Nursing Care, Thranduil Is Gorgeous As Always, Thranduil Love, Thranduil Lust, Thranduil Sex, Unwanted Responsibilities, demons from the past, nursing home, predatory female, unexpected love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2019-11-08 15:06:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 108,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17983409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TigereyesF/pseuds/TigereyesF
Summary: Kai Walker is a senior in a Nursing Care Home for elderly and dementia patients. A sudden and unexpected death leaves the future of one of her patients in the hands of a legal executor, and she worries about what lies ahead.Meanwhile, Thranduil Oropherion is a successful actor who has been anonymously talking to a fan on his movie forum, someone who has jumped to his defence and vigorously argued against the trolls who seem to reside on his page. Tragic circumstances change his life and he finds himself out of his depth as he struggles to adapt. Help comes along, and the unexpected source changes his life even further.Surrounded by things changing around him, he draws closer to his source of help and fights against his feelings, as they too begin to change. Simultaneously, Kai is also fighting with her emotions as they rise and fall in the presence of the one man she's fantasised over for years. Demons from her past explode in her face when she least expects it, with soul-destroying results. Will Thranduil be enough to save her from herself? Will he have what it takes to piece her back together again?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thranduil's Tiger is a little different from my previous work, in the sense that there are no wars, violent battles, or fighting for honour. It's a more sedate, detailed story, with more dialogue than my usual action-thriller-cliffhanger work. I'm also breaking my usual habit of posting a chapter daily. I hope to update twice a week, possibly more if time allows.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

** CHAPTER ONE **

****

Kai smiled as her workmate and best friend screeched around the corner in his shiny black BMW, leaving tread marks on the surface of the road. Always in a rush to leave and go home, he never drove into work at such speeds.

“Come on you tortoise!” he roared as he wound his window down. “Some of us want to leave this hell-hole behind and get on with the rest of the day!”

She shook her head as she went behind the vehicle, tossing her backpack onto the back seat. “How come you’re never in such a hurry to come in as you are to get out?” she asked, sliding into the passenger seat. “Anyone would think your rear end is on fire.”

Robbie snorted as he jumped onto the gas before her door was even closed. “Because I hate, loathe, and detest this dive,” he grumbled. “And besides, it’s the weekend. There’s a party happening somewhere, and I’m not there.”

“When do you sleep?” she demanded, slamming her door and fighting to fasten her seat belt. “Every night you’re out on the ran-dan.”

“I don’t,” he shot back as the car hurtled round the corner at the bottom of the hill. “I’m young. I don’t need sleep. Not like you olds do.”

“You’re a cheeky bugger,” she grumbled good-naturedly, rooting around in her pocket for some gum.

He glanced at her briefly, and took a pack of cigarettes from the glove compartment. “Just have one. Light me one too, please.”

“Robbie!” she whined. “I’m trying to quit…”

“She says, breaking the world speed record for getting into a pack,” he retorted with a laugh. “Quit tomorrow. Or next week. Fuck it…quit next year.”

“You’re a lot of help,” she muttered. “Where are you going tonight? Anywhere special?”

“No, not particularly. Some of the guys from the gym are going to Cat’s later on, but I don’t know if I’ll go,” he replied. He took the lit cigarette she handed to him. “It was wild the last time I was there. Cops called and everything. I can’t be doing with that on my night off.”

She hummed in agreement. “I like peace and quiet,” she said, inhaling on her own cigarette. “I can’t cope with massive crowds, drunks, people fighting on the dancefloor, people trying to hump on the dancefloor…shit Robbie…I _am_ getting old.”

He dropped down a gear and shot past a lorry on the road. “ _Getting?_ ” he squeaked. “No getting about it, madam. You’re already old.”

“Charming. Remind me of these comments when I’m doing your performance review next week, smart-arse,” she said. “God…I have thirteen to do by the end of the week.”

Robbie tossed her a quick glance as he dived back and forth between other vehicles. “Can’t Alex do some for you? How come you’re stuck with so many?”

“Donna’s off on indefinite sick leave,” she replied. “So I’ve been lumbered with some of hers. Which is just great – I can’t remember the last time I did a review for the night shift team.”

“I guess your weekend’s going to be spent going wild with review paperwork,” he said dryly. “Throw them in a drawer, and come out with me. I’ll show you how to be wild.”

“I don’t want to be wild,” she scoffed. “And I’m not doing them over the weekend anyway. I plan on having some quiet time, just chilling out and relaxing.”

“No studs coming over for some hot sex?” he quipped.

“Is that all you think about?” she demanded. “Sex?!”

“Yes,” he replied as though it was blatantly obvious. “Is there anything else to think about?!”

She rolled her eyes and lapsed into silence, watching the scenery whip past. “You drive too fast,” she murmered after a while.

“Hey – who else can have you home in under half an hour?”

“Not the point. I’d much rather get home alive as opposed to ending up in a wooden box.”

“You’ll get home alive, for God’s sake,” he said. The car sped along, eating up the miles between their workplace and her home. “Pick you up on Monday morning?”

“Please,” she said. “Here…money towards gas,” she added, tossing a twenty onto the dash.

“I hate you,” he laughed, flicking it back towards her.

“No you don’t. You love me. Especially with your review due…you make me endless cups of coffee and you love me unconditionally.” She lifted the money and stuffed it down the back of his t-shirt, the car screeching to a halt outside her house.

“You’re a bitch!” he laughed, wriggling in the seat as he tried to dig the bill out from his back.

“Yup. I know,” she replied with a laugh, sliding out and grabbing her backpack. “Have fun tonight, and don’t overdo it. Play safe.”

“I always do,” he told her with a wink, and screeched off again as she slammed the door.

Waving as it disappeared into the distance, Kai slug her bag over one shoulder and walked up the drive towards the house. Left to her by her great-uncle a decade ago, she’d changed her life and moved into it, slowly rebuilding it room by room. The old man hadn’t been in a state of health to take care of the place, and it had showed when she’d arrived to have a look at it. Piece by piece, bit by bit, she’d painstakingly restored each room back to a habitable standard, starting with the lounge, then the kitchen and bathroom. Although not a show home by any standards, it was comfortable and clean, and she loved the place.

She let herself in and dropped her keys onto the worktop as she passed the kitchen.

“Tigra!” she called, sliding her backpack from her shoulder. “Tigra!”

A grin spread over her face as she heard the distinct thump of paws hitting the floor above her, and turned towards the stairs. A fluffy ball of black fur shot down towards her, purring and miaowing as it wound around her lower legs.

“Hey baby…mama missed you,” she cooed, lifting the cat and kissing the soft fur. “What have you been destroying while I’ve been hard at work? Hmm?”

The cat purred contentedly in her arms as she carried him back through to the kitchen, his tail swishing against her bare arm. Kai squatted down and took a can of cat food from the cupboard and a clean bowl, and the animal obligingly climbed up onto her shoulder allowing her use of both hands to prepare his supper. He rubbed his head against hers, making her laugh as his loud purring rumbled in her ear.

“Come on mister, feeding time,” she told him. Lifting him down and setting him onto the floor, she placed his bowl on the little mat next to his water bowl. “You’d better not have brought me any more dead mice, or you’ll be history,” she warned over her shoulder as she turned to put the kettle on. “I’m tired of removing tiny corpses from this place. I don’t want any more presents.”

Tigra ignored her, wolfing down his food.

She quickly made herself a coffee and then bounded upstairs for a quick shower. The nursing home where she worked always had the heating on no matter what the weather conditions were, and she always came home feeling sweaty and musty.

And the patients still always complained of feeling the cold.

Within ten minutes, she’d showered, dried off and applied her favourite blueberry body lotion, and climbed into her cotton pyjamas. Perfect for a night in snuggled up relaxing. Her coffee was at the optimum temperature to drink, and she sipped it as she rooted around in her drawer for a bottle of nail polish.

“What d’you think, Tigs…burgundy, or sparkly blue?” she asked the cat, who had finished his food and was sprawled out on top of her bed watching her with large green eyes.

He yawned and rolled over onto his back, completely ignoring her.

She rolled her eyes and closed the drawer, taking the sparkly blue bottle with her as she crossed the carpet and sat on the end of the bed. “A lot of help you are,” she grumbled as she lifted her foot up and began to paint her toenails. “I’d hate to really need your advice on anything, you useless ball of fluff.”

Silence.

She sighed to herself as she re-capped the bottle and waddled over on her heels to put it back in the drawer. Lifting her coffee, she glared at the now snoozing feline and left the room.

*****

Thranduil wrenched his mouth away from the beauty in his arms, his chest heaving as he stared down into her amber eyes. Those eyes stared back up into his, desire flooding the irises as she too panted for breath.

“I can’t do this,” he whispered. “You’re toxic to me.”

“But you want me,” she whispered back. “You need me.” Her hands lifted to his face, her thumbs gently caressing his skin.

He clenched his teeth together and pushed her away from him. Hard.

“Cut!”

The woman smiled at him, but he turned away to face the director.

“Brilliant! Exactly what I was looking for,” Otis yelled with enthusiasm as he leapt up from his chair. “Why the hell you couldn’t bring that emotion through before now is anyone’s guess. Fantastic!”

Thranduil tilted his head slightly in acknowledgement.

“Will that shoot be enough?” Olivia, his co-star asked. “Or are we done for the night?”

“I think we’re about finished,” Otis replied, to a cheer from the assembled crew on set. “We’ll tidy up a few scenes on Monday. Have a good weekend, guys!”

Thranduil shook his head in amusement as the set cleared within seconds, everybody clearing the exits at the speed of light to begin their two days off. He crossed the set and headed along the corridor towards his dressing room, looking forward to getting out of the attire he had on and getting into his own clothing.

“Good shoot, Thran?” asked Bard, one of his personal assistants and closest friends. He sat perched on the edge of the desk with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

“Yes, thank God,” he replied as he shrugged out of the dark blue jacket. It sailed through the air and landed on the back of a chair. “This is driving me crazy, Bard. Absolutely crazy. I’m asking myself why the hell I ever accepted this role.”

Brown eyes lifted to him as he yanked at his t-shirt, tugging it off and putting on a black shirt instead. “You know you’ve got this,” he answered. “Olivia is just a complication, a challenge.”

“I can’t be around the woman,” he muttered. “She’s making everything so personal. I don’t like it. She makes me uncomfortable.”

Bard inhaled through his nose, changing position where he sat. “Have you talked to Otis?”

Thranduil shook his head as he kicked off his joggers and climbed into his own jeans. “No. It would only be a waste of time. As soon as we can wrap this up, the better.”

“Then you’ll have all the press to deal with, appearances together, glitzy parties and all that,” his friend said. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to tolerate her for just a little bit longer.”

He huffed in exasperation. “She’s a stalker in the making,” he grunted.

Bard laughed. “She’s gorgeous! Why are you complaining, man?”

Thranduil paused in putting his boots on, glaring at him. “I’m not desperate,” he said. “She is. And she sees me as her ticket to alleviated stardom. I’m not getting into it with her, she’s too complicated. She’s trouble.”

His friend shook his head as he folded the newspaper and set it down on the table, folding his arms. “Tell her you’re involved with someone,” he suggested.

“Unfortunately, everybody knows more about my private life than I do,” he said. “She won’t let go that easily, trust me. She’s got her damned tractor beam activated, and is determined I’ll respond to it and get sucked in.” He rose to his feet, shoving Bard off the desk and lifting the hairbrush, dragging it through his long blonde hair that flowed like a waterfall down his back. “Maybe I’ll try to set her up with someone; get her off my back.”

“If you think that might work, give it a shot,” Bard said as he slid off the desk and picked up the car keys. “Although if she’s really that determined, you might not be able to fob her off onto someone else as easily as you might think.”

Thranduil put the brush back and followed him out of the dressing room, locking the door behind him.

“G’night, guys,” Otis yelled, crossing from one of the rooms further along the corridor. “Have a good one.”

“Goodnight,” he called back.

“Any plans?” Bard questioned.

He shook his head as he fell into step beside him. “No. I want to unwind, relax, and just waste my entire weekend.”

His friend laughed. “I’d better cancel the sky-diving,” he quipped.

“You’re hilarious,” Thranduil said dryly. “You’re in the wrong job. You should’ve gone into stand-up comedy.”

“And leave you to face the clutches of the Demon Stalker all by yourself? Nah. I’m not that kind of friend.”

The warm evening air hit them as they left the studios and headed towards the gleaming black SUV that Thranduil owned. The parking lot was almost deserted, the cast and crew having wasted no time in clearing off.

“Charlie asked me to tell you he’s going to be half an hour late on Monday,” Bard said once they were settled in the car. “He’s going over to visit his dad or something.”

Thranduil lifted his eyebrows as he steered out of the lot and onto the main street. “He’s really good with the old man,” he remarked. “I think he visits him almost every day, or every other day. He’s one of a kind.”

“He is,” he agreed. “He was going to go over the weekend, but I think he has other arrangements that he couldn’t cancel, so he’s going on Monday instead.”

“How old is he?”

“Who, Charlie?”

“No, you dimwit – his father,” the blonde said.

“Oh. Late eighties, maybe ninety,” Bard answered. “Not bad innings, I’ll say that much. Although he’s not in the best of health from what Charlie tells me. He’s pretty bad with his mobility, and I think he’s stuck in a time warp mentally.”

He shook his head in sympathy, signalling left. “That can’t be easy,” he murmered. “I suppose getting to that age is one thing, but if your health isn’t great…” He trailed off, lost in his own thoughts.

“Drop me off at the shopping complex?” his friend asked. “I have to pick up something for supper – I asked Bain to see to it but I can guarantee he’s forgot, or been waylaid, or some nonsense.”

Thranduil smiled, taking the turnoff for the stores. “Kids have the memory of a sieve,” he said with a soft chuckle. “He’ll probably be cuddled up somewhere with some girl.”

“He’d damned well better not be!” Bard shot back. “Not at his age. He’s fourteen, for chrissakes, Thran!”

“And? You weren’t into girls at that age?” he teased. “Go on, get out of my face. And have a good weekend. Tell the kids I said hi.” The car pulled to a stop outside the main entrance to the complex, and Bard climbed out into the summer evening.

“I’m telling them nothing,” he said, leaning in the window. “Sigrid has her eye on you lately. Her hormones must be going batshit crazy or something.”

Thranduil tipped his head back and roared with laughter. “I have absolutely nothing to add to that,” he said. “Beat it. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Back at ya,” Bard replied over his shoulder as he turned away and walked into the complex.

The vehicle moved off, re-joining the flow of traffic on the freeway. Thranduil turned the CD player up a little, winding his window down and relaxing the further away from work and the closer to home he got. Normally he loved his chosen line of work, but this was one project that he couldn’t wait to complete. Had his contract not been worth a lot of zeros, he would’ve walked out and said to hell with it.

His mind was relatively clear by the time he pressed the remote to open the gates to his home a while later. The familiar sound of barking made him smile as he pulled into the garage, and he knew that tails would be wagging furiously behind the door. Unfolding himself from the SUV, he locked it and closed the main door, entering the house through the internal one.

True enough, two Alsatians jumped up at him in greeting, almost knocking him off-balance.

“Hey guys! I missed you both,” he laughed, affectionately rubbing their head and under their ears. The dogs licked and barked, excited to see their master home again after being away from them all day. “Give me two minutes, and we’ll go for a walk,” he told them, setting them down onto their four paws only for them to leap up again. “Let me get inside first.”

The two dogs followed him as he crossed through the impressive house, still with their tails wagging ferociously. Checking his mail and any phone messages, he kicked his boots off and swapped them for sneakers.

“Ok, let’s go,” he said, and immediately they bounded away to sit expectantly at the main door. Shaking his head with a smile, he followed them and left the house.

*****

Kai clicked the window closed, sighing as she did so. Responding to her sister’s email hadn’t been easy, but she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. Her older sibling was demanding she return home to visit their parents, but she wasn’t keen to make the long trip. Not with the trouble she knew would undoubtedly occur should she show face.

She uncrossed her legs and shifted the laptop to one side, getting up from the couch and going through to the kitchen. One fresh coffee later, and she stepped over Tigra on her way back to the comfortable sofa.

“Let’s see what’s happening elsewhere,” she murmered aloud as she sipped the beverage. The pointer scrolled through her bookmarks and clicked on her page of choice. She quickly typed in her username and password. The screen changed to one with a light blue background, dark blue swirls surrounding the large square in the middle.

She leaned back with a smile. The forum was in full flow.

Relaxing with her coffee, she sipped it as she scrolled through the ongoing comments, and a frown slowly creased her forehead. Some of the comments being posted were nothing short of horrible.

_This guy can’t act to save his life,_ one user, DemonFox, had written. _He should be stacking shelves or cleaning toilets somewhere._

Another one, Bumblebee31, was in agreement. _Last movie was utter shit. The only reason it did so well was because of his looks. Storyline crap. His portrayal crap. Wooden acting. Should retire and leave the country. Place would be better off without him._

Her frown deepened into a scowl, and she sat her cup down on the small table in front of the couch. _Go by the statistics,_ she typed. _The movie smashed all records. What’s your ideal storyline anyway? Disney?_

DemonFox responded instantly, naming another actor who he or she considered would have played the role better.

_That’s just your opinion,_ she answered. _I can’t imagine anyone else playing the part. It could have been written for him._

_How much is he paying you to post this?_ Bumblebee31 wanted to know.

She shook her head as her fingers moved swiftly over the keyboard. _You don’t know good acting when you see it. I take it you’ve only ever seen him in this one role? Try looking up some of his other work, and you’ll see what I mean._

_I’d rather cut his fucking head off,_ the response came. _Useless piece of shit. He should go back to his own damned country._

_So you’re racist as well as ignorant of the facts?_  She answered. _That makes you not only an ass, but a narrow-minded one at that._ She lifted her coffee again, taking a sip as the speech bubble flickered, indicating someone was responding.

_Do you play with yourself over his picture?_  DemonFox posted.

She snorted. _Rather that than over yours, if your userpic is anything to go by,_ she typed back. _Because you are one UGLY son of a bitch._

Others who had been adding to the conversation had fallen silent, but she could see their avatars and knew they were watching everything.

_I read somewhere that he fucks animals, because women won’t go near him,_ Bumblebee31 commented. _I say everybody boycott the movie he’s making just now. It’s guaranteed to be as crap as the last one._

Kai chewed her lip, still scowling. Having gone with Robbie to see the movie they were tearing apart, she knew it to be a great storyline with a lot of dialogue and deep undertones. She placed her cup back on the table, cracking her knuckles.

*****

Thranduil swivelled the chair in a slight side-to-side motion, his attention on the screen of his laptop. The screen changed constantly as the comments poured in rapidly, an argument having broken out between three site users.

He frowned, leaning forward as he read the comments.

Knowing that his work didn’t appeal to everyone, he was still surprised at the amount of venom that was being posted in the forum.

A small smile curved the corner of his mouth as he caught a biting response from one of the users. _LittleTigerFeet._ It had to be a female, if the name was any kind of clue. A male wouldn’t choose a username as fluffy as that.

Although fluffy wasn’t the impression she was giving. Her responses were becoming more barbed with each one, and she certainly knew how to handle herself amongst the trolls who lived on his forum page.

_I hope you get raped,_ one of the users posted.

He frowned at the username. DemonFox.

_I hope your mother drops you on the other side of your head,_ LittleTigerFeet answered like lightning. _At least then maybe you’ll have a chance to fix that lop-sided head of yours._

He chuckled to himself, before clicking on the report icon. People argued all the time on his forum page, but he refused to sit back and do nothing when someone was being outright vicious to another user.

Once he’d reported DemonFox, he clicked on LittleTigerFeet’s profile, and selected the option to message her. _Why are you wasting your time arguing with these idiots?_ He clicked send.

A few more responses appeared in the open forum, before DemonFox disappeared, most likely removed by admin.

_I’m bored,_ the private message pinged. _And I have zero tolerance for uneducated idiots. These two wouldn’t know a good movie if it slapped them._

He smiled, shifting position in his seat. _Don’t let them get to you._

_I won’t. I’ll have them questioning their own gender before the night’s out._

That made him laugh as he flipped his hair over one shoulder. _They obviously have nothing better to do on a Friday night,_ he replied.

_The same could be said for both of us,_ she answered. _But hey – it’s been a long week, and we have to unwind somehow. If head-butting with Neanderthals is the way to do it, so be it._

He chewed his lower lip for a few seconds. _So you liked the movie?_

_Yes. I think it was one of Thranduil’s best yet,_ she sent back. _The dialogue in it was amazing, the emotions seemed so real…how can anyone not like it? Have you seen it?_

He chuckled as he typed his reply. _Yes. I thought it was ok._

An emoji of a face sticking its tongue out popped up. _Just ok?_

_I’ve seen better,_ he replied.

_Where?!_

He hesitated. _There’s lots of amazing works out there,_ he finally typed back. _It’s just having the patience to go through the dud ones until you find the true gems._

_That movie was NOT a dud,_ her answer popped up. _Anyway, it’s getting late, so I’m going to split. Nice talking to you, DragonFire_ _:)  
_

_You too,_ he replied.

The message box disappeared, and he leaned back in the chair. That was the first time he’d ever said anything on his forum page.


	2. Chapter 2

** CHAPTER TWO **

****

Thranduil ducked as his assailant’s fist swiped towards him, sailing harmlessly through the air over his head.

“Cut! Cut, cut, cut, goddammit!” Otis roared. “Jesus Christ…”

Everybody on the set went still and turned to him as he slid off his seat, his head shaking in exasperation as he stalked across the floor.

“This is so far away from what we rehearsed!” he ranted. “Where’s the fire? Where’s the anger, the passion? The will to triumph? Holy shit in a poke – maybe I should fire y’all and start casting again!”

Members of the cast and crew scattered around exchanged glances.

“Otis, with all due respect-“ Thranduil began.

“Respect, my ass!” he interrupted. “I don’t know _what_ the fuck happened since we went over this scene, but every damned take has been garbage. Cut for lunch, and get your heads together by the time we come back. I want this scene re-shot and wrapped before tonight.” The small, plump director stormed off, muttering as he left.

Thranduil’s co-star clicked his tongue. “I’m really sorry, Mr Oropherion,” he said. “I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong.”

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I think Otis probably has other things going on, and he’s just venting. He goes like this sometimes. Don’t take it personally.”

The other man swallowed, clearly nervous and probably a little intimidated by Thranduil’s presence. “I’m doing my best-“

“We all are,” he said, cutting him off with a wave of his hand. “Just relax. You’re doing great. This isn’t your problem, trust me. I’ve worked with him long enough to know.”

With a timid nod, the other actor disappeared.

“Trouble?”    

Thranduil turned, grinning as a familiar face approached through the crew members. “Thorin! How was the trip?”

The other man grinned, embracing him in a brief hug before stepping back. “It was good,” he answered. “It was great to see Dis again.”

“I thought maybe you had decided to stay, and I’d need to get a new agent,” he laughed. “It’s good to see you back. When did you fly in?”

“Just landed an hour ago,” Thorin replied. “I haven’t even been home yet. Thought I’d check in and see how things are here. Bard’s been keeping me up to date.” He eyed his long-term friend suspiciously. “Are things not working out with this role?”

Thranduil waved him off. “They’re fine,” he assured him. “Unfortunately you’ve walked right into the middle of Otis having a moment, and he’s scaring the young guy I’m doing this scene with. Poor kid’s not been in the business for long, and he’s scared it’s his fault.”

“And is it?”

“No. I think maybe he just got out of bed on the wrong side or something,” Thranduil said. “You know how moody he can be when he wants.”

He hummed in agreement. “He’s definitely not the most sociable character to work under,” he agreed. “But you can handle him.” He glanced around before lowering his voice. “What’s the deal with Olivia?”

The blonde drew him a look as he steered him through towards his dressing room. “She’s on a mission,” he replied.

Thorin grunted. “Can you handle her? Or shall I have Otis deal with it?”

“No, I can deal with her myself,” he replied. “She’s just a pain, nothing more. She’ll move on to someone else soon enough.” He unlocked the dressing room door, ushering his agent through before him.

“Must be bad if you’re locking the door,” he observed, stepping inside and looking around. He threw his weight down onto the couch along the back wall. “You never used to. What happened?”

Thranduil shrugged as he leaned against the table. “I came off a shoot and found her lounging in here with a bottle of wine and glasses,” he told him. “And she wasn’t easy to get rid of.”

“Did you..?”

“No, I did _not,_ ” he said firmly. “I don’t date co-stars, I don’t do all that shit. You should know me better than that, dammit.”

“I just asked,” he said defensively, holding his hands up with the palms facing upwards. “I just have to know what we’re dealing with, should I have to jump in and bail you out. That’s all. I’m not questioning your integrity.”

Thranduil glared at him as he stripped out of his costume and into his own clothes.

“Come on, grab your shit. I’m taking you out for lunch, see if you can get this place out of your hair for an hour,” Thorin said after a few moments’ silence. “Although with a head of hair like yours, it may take a while.”

The two men left the dressing room and exited the filming studios, making their way across to the restaurant on the other side of the industrial setting.

*****

Kai slammed the cupboard door closed and turned the key with a sigh of frustration ripping up from her toes. The file in her hand hit the worktop with a clatter, and the telephone was dumped next to it. She rested the heels of her hands against the edge of the surface, her head low.

“Problems?” a voice asked.

She threw a half-hearted glance over her shoulder to see Lucy, one of the carers on her team. “Hey, Luce,” she said. “The drugs order hasn’t been delivered, and we’re due to implement the next four weeks’ roll-out in two days. They need to be counted, checked, and booked in tonight.”

Lucy folded her arms and leaned on the doorframe, crossing one ankle over the other. “Have you told Alex?”

She shook her head, pushing herself away from the worktop. “No. He doesn’t give a damn. He’s spent most of the day with the phone glued to his ear, and isn’t taking any messages. I’ve left two notes on his desk for him to call down so I can update him, but nothing so far.”

The carer pursed her mouth. “What’s the pharmaceutical centre saying?”

She snorted. “It’ll be with you by tomorrow,” she mimicked, exaggerating her voice. “Lazy sods. It should’ve been dispatched and on the way yesterday.”

Lucy took a deep breath. “Come on and have a coffee,” she suggested. “You really need to de-stress, honey. You’re getting mad over something you can’t control.”

“We need those damned drugs,” she huffed, following her colleague as they left the medical store and she locked the door. “We can’t have the patients missing meds because of someone else’s fuck up.”

“I get you. Have a coffee, go out for a smoke or something, and call them again when you come back in,” she told her. “You don’t think straight when you’re angry; nobody does. Just call them and tell ‘em you’re moving suppliers if they don’t get their acts together.”

“I might just push Alex into changing anyway. I’ve had enough of this crap. Month after month I waste hours chasing them up, and it’s becoming the norm now,” Kai responded. “Hey, Robbie! Coffee?”

Robbie’s head popped out of the duty room window. “Yeah! You making?”

“I suppose so,” she said, rolling her eyes and grinning. “Come on. I’ll leave it in the staff room.”

“Ooo, smoke break,” he cheered, disappearing again.

“His mind revolves around his next ciggy,” she muttered, shouldering the door to the staff area open. “How’s your little brother these days?”

Lucy grunted. “He managed to pass his final exam, although only just. He scraped over the pass mark by the skin of his teeth,” she replied.

“Well, at least he passed.”

“Hmm. Now all he has to do is apply for a job,” she said.

Kai quickly prepared coffee while she listened.

“He seems to think that dad’s going to bankroll him until something magically drops in his lap,” Lucy went on. “He doesn’t seem to get it, that this is the real world. He needs to get off his ass and apply himself to something.”

She stirred two generous spoonfuls of sugar into her coffee. “He’s young,” she told her. “Give him time. Most kids are like that at his age, Luce. I don’t think you have anything to worry about; he’ll come good.”

The door to the staff area crashed open and Robbie appeared. “Hey, fans.”

“Fans? Ha!” Lucy roared. “In your damned dreams. Thanks, Kai.” She took the mug of coffee passed over to her.

“I’ll have you know I have an ever-growing fan base,” he sniffed haughtily. “And you are _not_ a privileged member.”

Kai turned away trying to hide her amusement as Lucy started hurling insults at him, before storming off with her coffee. “You should stop noising her up,” she warned. “She’ll lamp you one of these days, I’m telling you.” She lifted her coffee and went back through to the duty room, setting the mug down and moving a pile of patient files to one side. Heaving a sigh, she dropped her weight into the swivel chair and lifted the telephone, dialling through to the manager’s office.

No reply.

“Dammit!” she muttered as the receiver slammed back into the charger.

“What’s up, boss?”

“Oh, hey Tasha,” she said. “Nothing. Just trying to get hold of God upstairs.”

The petite carer slid a file into the drawer of the unit behind the door. “He called down about five minutes ago. I think you were still on the phone about the medication order.”

“What did he want?”

“There’s a new admission coming tomorrow,” she replied. “Damn…I need some Xerox copies. Apparently it’s a hospital admission; an old lady recovering after a hip replacement. Can’t cope alone at home, and no homecare package available for her.”

“And where the hell are we supposed to put her?” Kai cried incredulously. “We’re going to have to start pinning bedsheets to the bloody walls and using them as hammocks at this rate!”

“He said move Laura into Elizabeth’s room, and put the new lady in her room.”

“Jesus Christ,” she grunted, annoyed. “Liz’s family will hit the roof. They’re paying exuberant fees for a double room just for her, not to share with anyone else. He can’t just shift patients around however he wants. Prick.”

Tasha snorted with laughter. “For what it’s worth, I agree with you,” she said. “Can I borrow the stapler?”

Kai passed it over and rose to her feet. Lifting an empty file out of the bottom drawer of the unit, she sat back down again and began preparing the basic paperwork required for the proposed admission. “That man will drive me to drink,” she muttered under her breath. “Where’s Ed?”

“Showering Bob.”

“Can you tell him once he’s done, to grab Tony and put the decorations up in the dining room for Larry’s birthday tomorrow?” she asked.

“Sure. You finishing on time today?”

“You bet I am,” she chuckled, sorting clear plastic pockets into the file. “It’s been a long shift for some reason. My head’s pounding.”

“Catch,” Tasha said.

She turned and caught the pack of chewy candies her friend tossed at her. “Ooo…this’ll do me,” she grinned, digging in. The bag was dropped onto the desk as she shot out of the chair at the sound of the emergency alarm blaring through the building. “What’s going on?” she demanded, hurtling down the hallway towards one of the bedrooms which had a flashing red light above the door.

Robbie appeared at her side as he burst from the staff area.

Cassie, one of the junior care staff, appeared in the doorway of the bedroom, looking panicked. “Janet’s on the floor,” she called as they sped towards her. “I came in with her tea and found her there.”

“Ok, we’ll see to her,” Kai said, gently removing her from the doorway and pushing inside. A quick glance around gave her an idea of what she was dealing with.

A small, frail old lady was flat on her back on the floor, groaning quietly in pain.

Kai and Robbie approached her and knelt down, one on either side of her. She held her hand up to halt the stampede of staff who’d responded to the alarm, knowing a crowd would more than likely panic her patient.

“Hey, honeybunch,” she said. “What have you been up to? You trying to break my floor again?” A cheery grin accompanied her words.

Janet managed a small laugh. “I feel so stupid,” she said. “I was lying on the bed, just having a rest, and I tried to turn over. The next thing I know, I’m slipping off and ended up down here.”

“You’re not stupid, love,” Robbie assured her as Kai quickly but gently palpated her head, neck and shoulders. “Where does it hurt?”

“My back and my left arm,” she replied. “Oh dear...I’m sorry to drag you away from your work.”

“Don’t be silly,” Kai told her as she ran both hands down each leg. “That’s what we’re here for. You saved me from falling asleep over my paperwork.”

“Yeah…like I believe that,” the old lady laughed. “I don’t think you guys ever sleep.”

“Janet, do you feel like you could sit up, if we help you?” she asked, satisfied that nothing was broken.

Robbie had already slid a supporting arm under her shoulders, and was waiting for the go-ahead to move. At her nod, they both slowly eased her up into a sitting position, and she quickly checked her back and shoulders for bruising or abrasions.

“How does that feel?” he asked.

“Much better, especially now that you’re here,” she answered, a twinkle in the faded blue eyes. She turned to his companion. “Kai – you need to snap this hunk up before someone else comes along and takes him.”

She laughed. “He’s not my type, love,” she told her, inspecting a small skin tear on her left arm. “I prefer my fellas with long hair.”

Robbie had turned an alluring shade of burgundy, and tried to hide his expression.

“I’m just going to give this a wee clean, and put a dressing on it, ok?” she informed her patient. “Robs – go and get the dressing kit from the meds room please.”

He took the keys and went off to do her bidding.

“What are we going to do with you, Janet?” she grinned, turning back to the old lady.

She blushed as she smiled back. “I really am sorry,” she apologised.

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” she said. “Shall I help you into your chair over by the window?”

“I think I can manage that,” Janet replied, taking Kai’s hand as she slid her arm around her back.

“Ready, steady…and stand,” she said, supporting her weight as she helped her to her feet. “Ok? All this, and not even one glass of wine to blame for it!”

Janet laughed. “I haven’t had wine in years,” she told her as she took unsteady steps towards the seat, still holding tightly to her hand. “I just haven’t the notion for it anymore.”

Kai snapped on a pair of surgical gloves and inspected the small cut on her arm. “This isn’t too serious,” she murmered. “Two tics and we’ll have you as good as new again.”

Robbie reappeared with the dressing kit, dropping down to his haunches next to where she knelt on the floor. He chatted amicably as she quickly wiped the blood from the wound and applied a small dressing.

“There we go, love,” she said with a smile, peeling her gloves off. “I’ll send another hot cup of tea through, and get Cassie to sit with you if you like.”

Leaving her colleague still chatting, she left the room and went to wash her hands before updating Janet’s notes and calling her family to inform them. She couldn’t wait to finish her shift and go home.

*****

Kai turned up the volume of the CD player, wiggling her hips as she bounded across the room towards the couch. Throwing herself down onto it, she propped her bare feet up on the low table and lifted her coffee. Thinking to herself that she’d be glad to fall into bed and sleep, she scrolled through the screen on her laptop.

One eyebrow lifted. The fight that had started in the forum for Thranduil Oropherion was still going on.

“Fucking headcases,” she muttered, reading the comments. Her coffee worked wonders in relaxing her as she perused them, until she came across the latest entry.

_Can’t act, ugly AF. Fuck off and die._

Her cup thumped back onto the table.

_Box office figures disagree,_ she typed. _DVD sales disagree. And who appointed you God? Because they messed up big time on that one. Moron._

She opened another window and checked her emails, then the news page.

Her message inbox pinged, and she clicked back onto the forum page.

_Lol are you still fighting for the cause?_ The message read.

She smiled. It was from the same person she’d spoken to briefly before the weekend, someone under the username DragonFire.

_Somebody has to,_ she typed back. _This poor guy’s just doing his job, something that he loves, and these idiots are on a rampage. I can’t stand it when people are slated for no good reason. It’s just petty jealousy._

_I agree. But you can’t change the world, not even with your little tiger feet,_ the response came through.

She laughed. _Don’t go making fun of my username!_

_I wouldn’t dream of it!_

_Do you live on this page?_ she asked, lifting her coffee again and crossing her ankles.

_Probably as much as you XD_ appeared on the screen.

She laughed. _Ok, so I have practically no life outside of work,_ she typed. _This is my way of relaxing and communicating with the outside world._

_I’m the same,_ DragonFire answered her. _I like my privacy, my time away in my own surroundings. Maybe I’m a bit of a recluse lol._

_Nothing wrong with that,_ she typed. _Sometimes the real world makes you want to lock yourself away. I know my real world does._

A minute or two passed before he or she responded.

_That’s sad :’(_

_Maybe. But sometimes you need time out to heal._

Another minute passed.

_You sound like a wounded soul,_ DragonFire answered.

She considered her response. _Not particularly,_ she wrote eventually. _I just see things differently I guess. Maybe I’m a bit cynical._

_I’m a little jaded myself. Through choice._

_Self protection?_ She asked.

_Maybe._

_Gotta ask,_ she typed in. _Male or female? I’m nosey haha._

_Male,_ the answer came back. _I’m guessing you’re female._

_Yes. The name kind of gives it away,_ she replied.

_It does. I don’t know any guys who would call themselves LittleTigerFeet! It’s cute though._

She laughed. _I love tigers._

_Seriously??_

_Haha,_ she wrote. _Are you in stand-up comedy or something? Maybe you should be._

_Nobody would come and see my performance!_ he replied.

In between, she was still responding to the user who’d posted the comment on the open forum page, and was deep in a war of words.

_Sorry,_ she typed back to DragonFire. _I’m on a mission here with this nutjob. I was joking about the stand-up, but you have no confidence._

_I do, for most things,_ he replied. _But everyone has a weak point._

_Mine is animals,_ she wrote. _I can’t help myself when it comes to animals. Even spiders._

_There’s nothing wrong with spiders. They eat the bugs that bite,_ he answered. _Have you ever held a baby koala bear?_

_No!_ Settling back with one foot tucked underneath her, she smiled as she sipped her coffee. _Tell me more!_


	3. Chapter 3

** CHAPTER THREE **

****

Three months passed.

Life in the nursing care unit hurtled forward with speed. Specialising solely in elderly care, the list of residential patients seemed to change continually. Patients passed away, new ones were admitted, and sometimes families took their relatives to care for them at home.

Kai adapted and guided her team accordingly, demanding the best from them and settling for nothing less. Tardiness and lack of motivation was unacceptable on her shift, and she refused to tolerate any of it. Her team had changed often over the years, as different carers hadn’t lived up to her expectations, and she’d wasted no time in letting them know. Eventually she’d managed to build a strong team that had bonded and worked well together.

“Did Annie have her anti-emetic last night?” she asked, butting in on the night-shift Senior’s shift handover. “She shouldn’t have vomited like that; the doctor increased the dose.”

Adam, the night-shift in charge, glared at her for interrupting. “Back shift would have given it to her,” he replied.

She lifted her eyebrows. “Did you check?” Gesturing towards Ed, she pointed to the file cupboard behind him. “Give me her file, please.”

An uneasy silence filled the duty room as the carer retrieved the folder and handed it to her, and she flicked through the pages to the medicine administration sign-off sheet.

Dark blue eyes went back to Adam. “It’s not been signed,” she said.

“Maybe they forgot,” he responded.

“And this wasn’t picked up in the overnight drug count?” she pushed. “Who did it?”

“Suzy,” he sighed.

She closed the file and handed it back to Ed, who dutifully replaced it. “Double check behind her from now on,” she said. “That could have and should have been avoided last night. Annie’s had a rough night thanks to someone dropping the ball.” One knee lifted and crossed over the other. “Carry on.”

Adam held her gaze for a few seconds, clearly angry, but he took a deep breath and continued with his report. The assembled team took notes where appropriate, with Kai circling and underlining points she wanted to check on herself later on once the shift was up and running.

“And the continence pad delivery arrived yesterday,” the Senior finished, closing his notebook. “It just needs to be checked off and allocated to the rooms.”

She smiled. “Something nightshift could’ve done, had Annie not been hurling left, right and centre,” she said sweetly. “Cheers. Enjoy your sleep.”

Nobody uttered a word until he’d left the room, closing the door at his back.

“Wow!” Tasha laughed. “I thought you were going to bite his head off!”

“So did I,” Cassie agreed.

“What’s the point?” Kai shrugged. “Nothing penetrates that dense skull of his anyway. We’ll just have to keep a closer eye on little Annie today, guys – make sure she’s hydrated and comfortable.”

“Will do,” murmered around her as the carers nodded.

“Right…let’s get this show on the road,” she said, uncrossing her legs and standing up. “Tasha and Ed, take the South wing. Cassie and Tony, you’re in the East wing. Lucy, you’re helping with the breakfasts this morning. Robbie and I will take the North wing. Alex is coming down to do the meds, and I’ll start going through the training matrix after first break. Everybody alright?”

“Yup,” Tony replied, groaning as he unfolded his lanky frame from his chair. “C’mon Cass – give me a piggy-back.”

“Drop dead,” she snorted, scuttling out of the room with a laugh.

“Oh…guys?” Kai called the pair back. “Try and talk Jack into having a bath or a shower this morning, if you can. Charlie’s coming to take him out for lunch.”

“Got it,” Cassie said.

The duty room emptied.

“So what training are we doing?” Robbie asked, bumping his shoulder against hers as they headed along the corridor to the North wing.

Kai glanced at him as she grabbed a handful of surgical gloves from the wall dispenser as she passed it. “You’ll find out later,” she answered with a mischievous grin.

“You’re a spoil-sport,” he huffed. “Are you still talking with that guy on messenger?”

She blushed, her eyes on the floor as she walked. “Maybe.”

He stopped, hands on his hips. “You absolute _slut_ ,” he accused playfully. “Have you met him? How often do you talk to him??”

“Have I hell,” she retorted. “I won’t. And usually every day, maybe second day. It’s just chat between two people, that’s all.”

“What do you know about him?” he questioned, following her again.

“I know that talking with him is helping me take my mind off my damned sister constantly harassing me.”

He snorted. “Block her emails, and block her number on your phone,” he advised. “Come on…what do you know about this dude?”

“Not a lot. We never talk about anything personal,” she told him. “We just discuss random stuff. Animal rescue. Third world poverty. Different books we’ve read or movies we’ve seen.” She stopped outside one of the bedrooms, knocking on the door and going in as the inhabitant called for her to enter. “Good morning, Laura. How are we this morning?”

Robbie followed her in and closed the door. “Morning, gorgeous,” he grinned, going down to his knees at the side of the bed. “Did you have a good sleep?”

The elderly lady smiled at him with affection. “Yes, I did, dear,” she answered. “I’m glad it’s you two this morning; I prefer you getting me up.”

Kai smiled over her shoulder as she went through the closet against the far wall. “That’s what we’re here for,” she said. “How about this today? Or would you prefer the pink one?” A blue blouse on a hanger dangled from her fingers.

“The blue one, please,” Laura replied. “Have my navy blue pants come back from laundry yet?”

“Hmmm…yes, they’re here. You want them as well?” she asked.

“Please, honey,” she replied.

“Would you like a shower, a bath, or a wash?” Robbie asked, bouncing on his heels.

“Just a wash today, please,” she answered. “I might have a bath after supper this evening, followed by a glass of wine.”

“Oh!” Kai laughed. “Wild night in the activity room then?”

“I wish!” Laura said dryly as she slowly sat up in bed with Robbie’s help. “This place could do with a good knees-up once in a while.”

“Can you imagine us lot having a knees-up?” Robbie said incredulously. “Although I do some mean moves on the dance floor…”

“God help us all,” Kai said to her patient, who roared with laughter as she swung her legs out from under the quilt. “I’ve seen him on the dance floor, Laura. I’m still under a therapist.”

Her colleague poked his tongue out. “See that, Laura? She’s just jealous.”

“I’m too old to be dancing now,” she said. She hung on to his arm as he helped her to her feet. “I studied ballet when I was a child.”

“Did you?” Kai asked in surprise, organising clean towels and face cloths. “Tell me more.”

*****

Thranduil’s eyes were closed, a deep frown arching down over them. He leaned his elbows on the desk in front of him, rubbing his temples in a circular motion in an attempt to alleviate the tension headache that had sprung up from seemingly nowhere. He breathed deeply, trying to block out the pain and to process the information he’d recently received. Pushing himself to his feet, he turned to the window and jammed his hands into his pockets, casting his ice blue gaze out over the grass.

The sun was partially hidden by dark grey clouds which promised rain. A cool breeze gently toyed with the fragrant flowers that were blooming along the fence which surrounded the field where two horses grazed peacefully. A squirrel caught his eye as it shot up a tree at lightning speed, the agile little hands and feet gripping onto the bark for leverage.

He blinked; a cold numbness settling inside him.

He turned as a soft knock sounded at the door.

“Hey, Thranduil,” Bard said quietly. He stepped into the room and closed the door, turning to face him. “You alright?”

The two men locked gazes, the boundaries of work disappearing. Two life-long friends simply stared at each other for several seconds.

Thranduil sighed, turning back to the window. “I can’t process it,” he said softly.

“I’m the same,” Bard admitted. Soft sounds of clothes ruffling told his friend he’d moved and had sat in the armchair that sat adjacent to the desk.

He swallowed, his gaze locked on nothing as he stared blindly through the glass. “I feel like…I feel like it’s all wrong,” he whispered. “Charlie’s going to come through the door, and everything will be the way it should be.” The lump in his throat refused to go away.

Charlie, one of his most loyal and trusted friends, and who worked for him, had been killed only hours previously in a head-on collision while on the way to visit his father. An empty chill filled the void that the news of his death had created.

“You know that he’s named you as his legal executor,” Bard said. “That’s a lot of responsibility, Thranduil. His father’s still alive and needs around-the-clock care.”

He nodded. “I can’t think right now,” he said. “I can’t…”

“It’s alright. I understand,” his friend assured him. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Again, Thranduil swallowed. “I suppose I’ll have to arrange a funeral home, or something,” he said. His tone was distant.

“They’re doing some tests on him,” Bard said gently. “They’ll call once they release him. You can’t do anything until they do.”

“Where is his father?”

“I’m not sure,” he said. “All I know is that he’s in a care home. I’ll look into it. I don’t think he’ll even know this early. Depending on his condition, they might not tell him.”

The blonde turned away from the window again. “Would you find out where he is? We’ll have to take care of him now.”

Bard smiled sadly. “You’re a good guy, Thran. Charlie knew that when he named you as executor. He knew if anything happened, you’d look after the old man.”

“It’s the least I can do,” he murmered, picking at something non-existent on the polished surface of the desk.

“Leave it with me,” the dark haired man said decidedly as he rose to his feet. “I’ll find out where he is, and get back to you. D’you want a coffee or anything?”

Thranduil shook his head. “No thankyou.”

“I’ll leave you to it,” Bard said softly, and quietly left the room.

Thranduil stayed in front of the window, lost in his own thoughts.

*****

Kai’s morning ran smoothly. By half past ten, all patients were up, showered or bathed, had their breakfast, and were settled into whatever they were doing. The care team had gone for their breaks in pairs, and had completed their daily reports on their return.

Kai started her training matrix after stealing a quick cigarette from Robbie, earning herself a major lecture in the process. Taking her coffee into the office, she called her team in one by one to go through what they were required to undertake.

Robbie was the third one in.

“I want to put you through the advanced dementia course,” she told him, swapping pens and writing notes in the margin of her paper with red ink. “I think you’ll really benefit from it.”

“I did one last year,” he moaned. “I hate studying.”

“Tough shit,” she retorted. “This is a great one. It’s a six-part course, with DVDs and worksheets. You’ll sail through it.”

“Are you doing it?” he asked, lifting one ankle and resting it on the opposite knee.

“Yes,” she said. “There’s about seven or eight of us, so it’ll be a discussion-based study, exchanging experiences and such like. It’ll be like a group thing.”

“As long as it’s not a grope thing,” he muttered.

She laughed. “No groping. No perving allowed. There’s a wound training session at the hospital next week – you fancy it?”

“I don’t see why not,” he said.

“As well as the dementia one,” she reminded him.

He _pffffft_ ’d in disgust. “Will you help me with it?”

“It’s easy!” she cried. “God almighty…you won’t need help.”

A knock at the door made her turn towards it.

Tony stuck his head round. “Sorry to disturb you guys…Kai, I’ve got a Mr Bowman here, wanting to speak with you. In private.”

She stood up, gesticulating for Robbie to clear off. “Yeah, that’s fine. Show him in,” she said.

Tony disappeared from view as Robbie left the office, and reappeared as he ushered a man in through the doorway. Closing the door again, he vanished.

“Mr Bowman,” she said, extending her hand to him. “I’m Kai Walker, the Senior on shift today.”

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms Walker,” he replied, shaking her hand.

“Please…just Kai,” she said with a smile. “Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink? Tea or coffee?”

“No thankyou,” he replied, taking the seat across from hers as she sat back down. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but that’s rather an unusual accent you have.”

She smiled again, instantly feeling at ease with the man who sat before her. “I’m from Scotland,” she told him. “I’ve been here about twelve years.”

“You haven’t lost your accent,” he remarked.

She shook her head. “I never will,” she said. “And neither have you…Wales, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yes. I’ve lived and worked here for almost fourteen years,” he answered.

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything to drink, Mr Bowman?” she asked.

“Call me Bard, and no, but thankyou for the offer,” he said. “I um…I need to talk to you about something rather…delicate.”

She frowned slightly as she crossed one knee over the other. “Go on.”

“I believe you have a gentleman residing here, by the name of Jack Tasker,” he said.

She didn’t deny or confirm his statement.

“His son, Charlie Tasker? He was supposed to come by today…take his father out for lunch or something,” he continued. He hesitated. “He um…he won’t be coming.”

His voice had dropped in tone, and Kai could tell he was highly uncomfortable. She stayed silent, bound by confidentiality agreements.

He tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling for a few moments, seeming to gather himself.

“May I ask what your interest is, Bard?” she asked eventually. “I don’t mean to be rude, but we’re bound by confidentiality laws. I can’t go into detail about any of my patients.”

He lowered his head and looked at her, tears in his brown eyes. “He was killed in a car crash earlier this morning.”

She gasped in horror, leaning against the back of her chair as her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Oh no…”

He nodded, biting his lower lip. Anguish rolled off him in waves, and now she understood why. “It’s come as a huge shock,” he said softly. “Charlie and I have the same boss. We just found out a couple of hours ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Charlie…Charlie was such an amazing guy. He’d…he’d come by every second day to visit his dad, take him out, stay and have lunch with him…I can’t believe it.” She blinked hard, trying to prevent the tears that were burning her eyes from falling.

“My boss is devastated; they were really good friends,” Bard said. “He’s in a state of shock just now. We pretty much all are.”

“That’s understandable,” she said. “Oh dear God…poor Charlie. He’ll be sorely missed, that’s for sure. He was almost part of the staff team here, he was here so often. He always brought us little gifts at Christmas and things like that, turned up to any special events we had…”

He nodded. “He was a special guy,” he agreed. “The purpose of my being here…he’s named our boss as his legal executor, and his father’s legal guardian. He knew someone would have to look after his interests if anything happened to him.”

She nodded, struggling to compose herself back to her usual professional persona. “So what does your boss want to do?” she asked. “Does he or she want to inform Jack, or maybe for us to do it?”

“He,” Bard corrected. “I’m not sure. I don’t think at this point he knows what he wants to do. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I think he really wants to try and set up a meeting, and sort out what needs to be done regarding Mr Tasker’s care, upkeep, etcetera, and how to proceed.”

“That’s not a problem at all,” she assured him. “He can meet with myself, any of the other Seniors, or the manager if he wishes. Any one of us will be more than happy to help in any way we can. Jack’s been with us a long time, and he means a lot to us. His wellbeing is the most important thing for us.”

He nodded. “Nobody is really sure what the next step is, I’m afraid.”

She slid open the desk drawer, pulling out a small, discreet leaflet. “This might help,” she said, handing it to him. “There’s a list of several reputable funeral homes, a list of attorneys, bereavement counsellors and so on. There’s also a checklist in the back of what needs to be done after someone has passed away. If there’s anything you’re not sure about, I’d be happy to talk you through it.”

He gazed at the leaflet, but she knew he wasn’t absorbing the writing on the front of it. “My boss is a celebrity,” he said after a silence.

Her mind worked quickly. “He’s concerned about privacy regarding a meeting?” A quick nod confirmed it. “By law, everyone who works here in this unit has to sign a legally binding confidentiality agreement,” she explained. “We’re not allowed to discuss residents, any visitors they have, any medical conditions, or any treatment they receive. We’re only allowed to keep the next of kin informed, nobody else. If you want, you can suggest your boss gives me a call. I’d be more than happy to walk him through everything, and if he’s comfortable having a face-to-face meeting, we can set that up. If not, we can still communicate through phone calls. But...” She trailed off.

“Yes?”

“We need to see original documentation that states he’s Charlie’s listed legal executor,” she said softly. “I understand this is a bad time for you all, but we have to keep ourselves within the law. We have to protect Charlie’s rights, and his father’s rights. I’m sorry.”

“That’s quite alright. I can sort that out no problem,” Bard said.

“I appreciate that. It makes a difficult time that little bit easier if we can get the legislation dealt with as soon as possible,” she told him.

“I appreciate your understanding,” he said, pushing himself to his feet. He indicated the leaflet. “I’ll have to arrange everything for a funeral. Uh...when’s a good time to get him to call you?”

“Any time that suits,” she answered straight away. “I finish tomorrow at two o’clock, but for the rest of the week I’m on until night-shift come on at eight o’clock. If he wants to speak to me, just tell him to ask for me by name.” She took the leaflet from him and wrote her name on the top in case he forgot. “Our duty of care extends to families of our residents too,” she added, meeting his eyes.

“I’ll pass that on,” he promised, shaking her hand once more. “Thankyou, Kai.”

“You’re welcome,” she said warmly. “You take care.”

He opened the door and went out into the hallway, where she beckoned Ed over. “Will you show Mr Bowman the way out please?”

The carer obliged, leaving her to go back into the office, where she sank back down onto her seat and lowered her head into her hands.

“Clear a path, peasants – Robster The Godster’s here,” Robbie announced, shouldering the door open and throwing himself down onto one of the seats. “What was the secret pow-wow about?”

She raised her head and lifted tear-filled eyes to his. “Charlie Tasker was killed this morning,” she whispered.

“Eh?!”

She nodded. “Car crash.”

“Holy shit,” he said, deflated. His gaze drifted away to something in the distance.

“I can’t believe it,” she sighed, drawing circles on the desk with her fingertip. “It doesn’t seem real, somehow.”

“Fuck,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” she murmered. “He’s named his boss as being able to take control over his estate; obviously Jack’s not in a position to do it. I think this guy will call me at some point, try to organize what he’s going to do.”

“Is Jack staying here?” Robbie asked, sitting forward and leaning his elbows on his knees.

“You know as much as I do, Robs,” she admitted. “I won’t know anything until this dude speaks to me about his plans.”

A respectful silence followed, neither of them having anything else to say.

“I’m going to help Bob with his shower,” Robbie said eventually, pushing himself out of the chair.

“Okay,” she said, still lost in her own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

** CHAPTER FOUR **

****

Kai sank down into the softness of her bed, the mattress moulding comfortably as she settled. She blinked as she gazed up at the overhead ceiling, her thoughts a mess as she tried to decipher what she had learned through the day.

Charlie Tasker’s death played heavily on her mind.

His father was in no condition to be told of what had happened, yet it seemed cruel to withhold it from him. The only saving grace was that due to his level of dementia, he’d constantly forget and would have to be re-told over and over, causing him to mourn over and over.

She rolled onto her side. Normally used to being by herself and comfortable with it, she’d never felt so alone. Robbie had asked her if she wanted to go to his place for supper, but she’d declined. The need for quiet time to work through things in her mind was more pressing.

Her eyes flicked towards her tablet as a familiar tone pinged. She sat up and reached for it, touching the icon on the screen.

_Evening, Tiger,_ DragonFire’s message glowed. _How are you?_

She hesitated for a moment or two, deciding how to respond. _Pretty low,_ she eventually typed.

_I’m sorry to hear that,_ he wrote back. _Do you want to talk about it?_

_Thanks, but no – it’s something I have to deal with in my own way,_ she replied. _How are you?_

_My day has been exceptionally challenging, so I’m afraid I’m not on top form either,_ he answered. _I’m hoping tomorrow will be a better day, for both of us._

She smiled. _There’s always hope, although I personally think tomorrow will be just as bad for me in one way or another._

_I know we don’t talk about anything personal, but is there any way I can help?_ He asked.

_I’m just going to have an early night,_ she typed. _Just knowing someone’s there helps._

_Alright. Message me if you need to talk. Have a good night, Tiger._

_You too,_ she answered, and switched the device off. Throwing it to the bottom of the bed, she slid down onto her back and resumed staring up at the ceiling.

Across on the other side of the city, Thranduil switched his laptop off and leaned back against his pillows. He hated to admit it, but talking regularly with Tiger had become a fixture in his life, similar to a port in a storm. She seemed to ground him while at the same time making him laugh, no matter how stressed he was. Not knowing any details about one another, he still looked forward to their little chats back and forth, and had come to depend on them. A cool feeling settled in his stomach as he stared out of the window into the darkness; a feeling of being totally isolated.

*****

Kai fumed, standing with her hands on her hips as she glared at her manager. “This is crap, Alex, and you know it.”

He shrugged carelessly as he tossed a file onto his desk. “We’ve dealt with the same distributor for years, Kai,” he told her. “We’ve a long-standing history with them.”

“Yes, one of being constantly let down,” she retorted.

“Look, we’re not their only customers,” he pointed out. “They’ve got a huge list of clients, it’s not only us.”

“And I bet we’re their biggest client,” she shot back. “That would mean they fight to keep us. I can’t be losing this much time chasing medication orders, Alex. It’s affecting performance on the floor. I’ve been calling them for four consecutive days about Larry’s blood pressure tablets, and still nothing.”

He simply stared at her.

“Dammit – I could’ve manufactured them, packaged them, delivered them and dispensed them in that time,” she said, rattled.

“I dare say you could,” he agreed with a grin. “However, I don’t feel comfortable changing suppliers.”

“On your own head be it,” she snapped in exasperation. “I’ve got work to do.” Turning tail, she swept out of his office and bounded down the stairs to the ground floor.

“Kai! Phone call,” Robbie called, poking his head out of the duty room door as she approached.

“Cheers, babe,” she said.

“How did you get on with Alex?” he whispered, handing her the telephone.

She threw herself down in the chair, shaking her head. “The guy’s being a dick,” she whispered back, covering the receiver. “I don’t know why I bother. Hi, this is Kai. How can I help you?” She spoke the latter after shooing Robbie out of the room and uncovering the phone.

“Good morning Kai, it’s Bard Bowman here,” the voice on the other end replied.

“Hi Bard, how are you?” she asked, crossing one knee over the other and settling back in the chair.

“Good...and yourself?”

“I’m ok,” she replied. “What can I do for you?”

“My boss would like to set up a meeting, if that’s possible,” he told her.

“Sure. When would suit him to come along?” she asked, uncapping her pen with her teeth and sliding a sheet of scrap paper towards the edge of the desk.

“He’s very reluctant to go to the unit,” Bard answered hesitantly. “It’s simply because of who he is…that’s all. It can be a little unsettling sometimes.”

Her eyebrows rose in silent surprise. Either this guy was Michael Jackson reincarnated, or he had massive issues with trust and privacy. “Ok,” she said slowly. “But we’ll have to meet at some point, I guess…how do you propose we do it?”

Bard inhaled at his end of the line. “Would you be prepared to meet him at his home?” he asked. “I can personally pick you up and drop you off again afterwards. And you can bring a colleague if that helps. I’m really sorry Kai; perhaps once you meet him, you might understand a little better.”

“It’s not normally something I usually do, nor would I normally advise doing it,” she said, drawing circles on the paper. “But at the end of the day, Jack’s welfare is the most important issue here, so I suppose I’m willing to make an exception in this case.”

“I’m truly grateful, Kai,” he replied, the relief audible in his words. “Again, I apologise. I think that it’ll make more sense when you meet him, I honestly do.”

She _hmmm_ ’d in a non-committal tone. “When would suit him?”

“You said yesterday when we spoke that you finish at two o’clock this afternoon?” he said. “I can pick you up from the unit then, if that’s suitable.”

“I guess so,” she agreed. “I’ll be outside shortly after the hour.”

“Thankyou, Kai,” he said, and the conversation ended.

She replaced the receiver, pursing her mouth as she thought about what she was doing. Her instinct told her she had nothing to worry about, having met Bard already and knowing within herself that he was a decent man. And having known Charlie quite well, she knew that he’d been an honest, reliable person too. But never would she give any of her care staff permission to go to a patient’s family’s home.

Thinking that she’d finally flipped and gone off her rocker, she scooted the chair away from the desk and got to her feet, heading through to make herself a coffee.

*****

“This could be an axe murderer, or a rapist, or someone who cuts people’s heads off and keeps them in a display cabinet!” Robbie hissed, stubbing out his cigarette. “You’re off your head, woman. Completely off your head.”

“Get a grip of yourself,” Kai scoffed. “You watch far too much tv. Besides, I always had good vibes from Charlie, and I got the same from Bard when I met him yesterday. I’ve not got anything to worry about, I’m sure of it.”

He huffed. “I’ll be sure to have that etched onto your tombstone,” he muttered.

“Don’t panic, I have my phone with me,” she assured him, patting his arm as she drained the last of her coffee. “Anyway, it’s heading for two, so I’m going to freshen up. You picking me up tomorrow morning?”

“Oh yes, Great One,” he drawled with an exaggerated flourish. “I am at your command.”

“Your arse,” she tutted.

“Yeah…it’s a great arse, isn’t it?” he laughed as he held the door open for her to pass through.

“No. Not as great as mine,” she quipped, and ducked under his arm with a laugh. Going through to the changing room, she quickly changed out of her light blue tunic and into her own top, then released her hair from the tight ponytail. The long black tresses floated down her back, caressing her hips as she moved. A quick spray of perfume later, she lifted her back-pack and slung it over one shoulder.

Stepping out into the bright sunshine, she blinked to get accustomed to it. A sleek black SUV was parked outside the building, with Bard standing beside it.

“Good afternoon,” he smiled, opening the passenger door for her.

“Good afternoon,” she repeated. “Thankyou.” She slid herself into the vehicle, the aroma of expensive leather filtering into her senses.

He climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “I have to say – it’s turned into a beautiful day,” he said, glancing up at the sky as he moved the car forwards.

She nodded. “I was sure it was going to rain. The clouds were quite low and heavy earlier,” she replied, watching the dementia unit slowly disappear from view.

The drive was fairly quiet, with only occasional chat between driver and passenger. Kai’s senses were on full alert as she absorbed everything around her.

Forty five minutes later, her attention span was wide awake by the time they pulled up at the massive gates of their destination. Inquisitive by nature, and having a keen eye for minute details as part of her working life, she took everything in.

The gates opened as Bard activated a remote control on the dashboard, and they slowly advanced along the driveway. Large trees overlooked the drive, lush green leaves in abundance. Hundreds of shrubs, bushes, and plants lined either side of the road, a beautiful array of colour and blossom. The grass rolled away from them into fields, where she could see a few horses grazing peacefully.

As they followed the road along a curve, a massive property loomed into view, partially obscured by more trees. Ivy grew up one side of the building, crossing over below the upstairs windows and continuing up towards the roof. Two massive ceramic planters sat on either side of the doorway, full to bursting with deep blue and white flowers that she didn’t recognise.

Bard turned the engine off and alighted the vehicle, rounding it to open her door for her. “This goes without saying, Kai,” he said quietly. “But anything that you see or hear-“

“I get it,” she assured him. “Privacy and confidentiality are the fundamental basics in what I do, so don’t worry. I understand the need for it more than most. I know when to keep my mouth closed.”

He nodded, embarrassed at having to bring the subject up in the first place. “Follow me,” he said, turning and leading her up the steps into the house.

The entrance hall took her breath away. This home belonged to someone who worked hard in their chosen craft, and was good at it. And it showed. A huge carpeted stairway stood twenty feet or so in front of her, curving up and along to the right. Along the top landing were doorways, each with the door closed. A crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, and even unlit, gave an overall feeling of grandeur. The dark wooden railing going up the stairs and along the upper hall was carved with intricate detail, and she had a sneaking suspicion it had been hand made. Large plant pots filled with beautiful greenery were scattered everywhere, giving a slight forest-y feel.

“Please wait in here,” Bard said, stopping and opening a door on the left hand side of the impressive hallway. “Make yourself comfortable.”

She stepped inside, to find herself in a private library, which made her eyebrows rise in surprise. The walls were shelved from floor to ceiling with books. A huge window drew in natural daylight, and several spotlights were placed in the ceiling above her. Two leather couches faced each other in the middle of the room, separated by a rug made in bright shades of red with splashes of white.

The far wall drew her attention, the only one which hadn’t been shelved for books. Large poster-sized pictures had been framed and hung. An African lion stared back at her, his mane blowing in the wind and his eyes bright and alert. The sky behind him was dark blue heading almost towards grey, with thunder clouds in the distance. Beside him was another picture, a Siberian tiger walking away from the camera through the snow, the pads on his huge paws leaving prints in his wake.

She smiled. This one had definitely ticked a box for her. As her gaze drifted along the row of pictures, she was so absorbed she didn’t hear the door opening behind her. She slowly walked the length of the wall, examining each photo in detail. A stunning picture of two stags with their antlers locked in fierce battle intrigued her. A cheetah caught hurtling along at full speed took her breath away, the background blurred as the camera lens brought the big cat into sharp focus, despite his speed. A bull elephant stood head and shoulders above a herd of elephants, his head high and his trunk firing a jet of water along his back. A hooded cobra stared out of his picture, gazed locked with the photographer’s, poised and ready to strike.

“You like animals?” a deep voice asked, making her jump a little.

She turned around, and froze.

A six feet five God with long blonde hair sweeping down over his shoulders stood a few feet away from her, his ice blue eyes on her. Both hands were clasped behind his back.

She swallowed, disorientated. _Fuck me – Thranduil Oropherion,_ she thought. “Yes…these are gorgeous,” she replied, indicating the pictures.

He gave her a small smile, and extended his hand. “Thranduil Oropherion,” he introduced himself.

She took it in a firm handshake. “Kai Walker,” she replied. “Bard met with me yesterday.”

He nodded, chewing on his lower lip.

Her gaze flicked down to it briefly, before she managed to pull a mask on her thoughts. “I’m so sorry about Charlie,” she said, looking back into his eyes. “He was a lovely guy, and we’ll really miss him coming into the unit. I’m sorry for your loss.”

He nodded again, swallowing. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I do not think,” he said, his velvet voice infusing into her bloodstream. His eyes left her as he turned, focusing on something through the window. “I keep expecting him to call…or to come barging in…”

“I understand,” she said softly after a moment. “All I can say is that myself and the unit are at your disposal if you need anything. Our care extends to the families of the loved ones they’ve lost, so please don’t think that you’re alone right now.”

His eyes turned back to her, bright with unshed tears. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do, or what is expected of me,” he whispered.

She stepped towards him, gently resting her hand on his arm. “We’ll guide you,” she told him. “I promise.”

He made an effort to gather his thoughts. “Can I get you anything?” he asked.

“No thanks, I’m fine,” she answered.

“I was going to have a coffee myself,” he said, and she smiled.

“Then you’ve just persuaded me,” she said. “Strong, sweet, and black, please.”

He returned her smile, with effort. “Have a seat,” he said, waving a hand towards the plush sofas. “I won’t be a minute.”

She slowly lowered herself down onto one of the couches as he left the library, stunned. _Thranduil Oropherion._ Nothing could have prepared her for this. Not knowing much about her patients’ families, she only had a cell phone number for Charlie in his father’s file in case of emergencies. Nothing there indicated who he’d worked for.

_Thranduil Oropherion._

She’d followed his work from his first movie, right through to the last release, which was the one she’d been fighting tooth and nail over in the movie forum. She swallowed. He was absolutely gorgeous, and even more so in real life. Standing much taller than her five feet eight, he carried himself with an air of regality and dignity. His long light blonde hair was the envy of many women across the planet, and his ice blue eyes were the fuel of a thousand fantasies for every one of them. His stunningly handsome looks were enough to halt a herd of stampeding rhino a hundred yards out.

She blinked hard and shook her head.

She’d lusted after him for years, drooling many a time over his movies, or pictures of him that appeared on-line. Knowing she’d have to get her act together, she turned her gaze back to the pictures on the far wall. No fainting, no drooling, and no tearing his clothes off either. He had a full, luscious mouth that she just _knew_ would be able to initiate an almost-spontaneous orgasm. She was going to have to tap into every single thing she’d ever learned to get through this.

He reappeared within a couple of minutes, a mug of coffee in each hand. “Can I get you something to eat?” he asked, setting them down on a small table.

She shook her head. “No, thankyou. I had a bite before I left work,” she replied. “Coffee smells great.” She smiled.

He sat down on the other end of the couch, crossing one long leg over the other. “Bard has been really great,” he said. “He’s already arranged a funeral home, and had Charlie moved there.”

“Which one did you choose?” she asked, blowing on her drink and taking a sip.

“Lux,” he replied, glancing at her. “He went through a couple which were listed in the leaflet you gave him, and picked that one.”

“Lux is an amazing place; a lot of our patients have gone there,” she told him. “The staff are among the best in their line of work, and are really professional at what they do. He’s in good hands with them, I promise.”

He nodded, gazing down into his cup. “They called a few hours ago,” he said quietly, before looking back at her. “They asked if I wish to go and see him.”

She let silence descend for a few moments. “What do you want to do?”

He shrugged. “I honestly do not know,” he said.

“How close were you?”

He shrugged, pursing his full mouth. “Reasonably close. I trusted him with my life. He didn’t talk much about his private life, and in turn, never spoke about mine. He was reliable, dependable, and I could always count on him.”

“Then you have to decide whether you want to go see him at peace and say your final goodbye, or whether you want to remember him as he was the last time you saw him.”

Ice blue eyes filled with sadness and grief held her gaze. “I honestly do not know,” he said, in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.

Kai stopped breathing, caught in the whirling depths of his hypnotic eyes. She read a thousand emotions in them, a thousand things he couldn’t say. “I can’t make your decision for you,” she whispered. “I wish I could, to make this easier for you, but it has to be your decision.”

“I know.” He took a deep breath, setting his cup aside. “I have the paperwork you asked for. I think you will find everything you need.”

He lifted a slim cardboard file from the table and passed it to her as she set her cup down next to his.

“Thankyou.” She flipped through to the document she was looking for. Black and white, there it was. Charlie’s last wishes that Thranduil take over his father’s care needs should anything happen to him.

Sadness washed over her.

She rested the open file on her lap, gazing out of the window, taking a moment to collect her thoughts.

“It has not hit us yet,” Thranduil said softly, reading her mind.

She shook her head, her eyes burning. ““Death is always hard,” she responded quietly. “Nobody expects a parent to outlive their child; it’s just not the natural order of things.” Taking a deep breath, she glanced back at the top sheet of paper. “I just need a copy of this, please.”

“Of course,” he said, taking the sheet from her and rising to his feet. He crossed over to a copy machine in the corner, quickly copying the document and handing her both pieces of paper.

She took her pen out of her bag and countersigned the copy as being seen and verified as a legal copy of the original. Folding it and sliding it into an envelope which she placed back inside her bag, she placed the original back in the file and handed it to him. “Thankyou.”

Silence filled the room.

“Should I go to see Charlie?” he asked eventually.

“I don’t know,” she told him. “Only you can decide, Thranduil. Nobody else. All I can say is, make sure that whichever option you do pick, be happy and at peace with it. If you don’t, once he’s buried, you can’t go back. And if you do, you can’t go back and undo that. Think it over.”

Dark lashed lowered as he closed his eyes, inhaling heavily through his nose. When he opened them again, he averted his gaze away from her. “How long do I have before it’s too late to decide?”

“Has the funeral been scheduled?” she asked, lifting her mug and handing his to him.

“Not yet. The manager at Lux said he would call Bard tomorrow to try and arrange something,” he told her.

“They won’t pressure you into anything,” she assured him. “Like I said, they’re the best at what they do. They’ll work around you, and what suits you.”

He sighed softly. “I’m so…lost, confused,” he said quietly.

“That’s to be expected,” she said, her tone as soft as his. “Don’t ask too much of yourself, not right now. This is a major shock, and you’ve got a lot of unasked-for responsibility thrown at you. It’ll take time – lots of time.”

“God.” He lowered his head, running his hands through his long hair. Lifting up again, he stared at her with bloodshot eyes. “I do not even know what to do about his father, if I tell him or not, if he attends the funeral or not – what a mess.”

He blinked hard and looked away from her again. She set her cup down and reached across, taking his hand firmly in hers.

“Listen to me,” she said. “You’re not going through this alone, Thranduil. That’s what I’m here for, that’s why you have the support of everyone at the unit, so you don’t have to face this by yourself. You haven’t taken this on by choice, it’s been forced on you in a cruel turn of fate, and it’s only natural that you’re going to be out of your depth. Let me help you – this is what I do.”

He stared at her, reading compassion and honesty in the blue eyes that held his. He’d only met this woman twenty minutes ago, yet somehow deep inside, it felt like he’d known her much longer. He instinctively knew he could trust her, and knew she would stay true to her word and help him if he asked.

“I need you to help me,” he whispered. “Please.”

She nodded, squeezing his fingers before breaking the contact. “I’ll be there every step of the way.”

He nodded, standing up and wandering over to the window.

She gazed at him, hypnotised by the long hair that cascaded down to his waist.

“Would you like to go for a walk in the grounds?” he asked suddenly, turning to her.

She blinked, surprised. “I don’t see why not,” she answered, and put her cup down once more.

He managed a small smile. “I’ll take you to see the horses,” he said. “You’ll love them.” He crossed the floor back to her and held his hand out to help her up.

The two of them left the library.


	5. Chapter 5

** CHAPTER FIVE **

****

Kai strolled alongside Thranduil, their gait easy, slow, and relaxed. He moved beside her, both his hands stuffed into his pants pockets. The sun beat down on lush green grass that seemed to stretch forever before merging into a thick line of trees on the far side of the fields. Horses wandered around, grazing and flicking their tails to rid themselves of flies. A comfortable silence was suspended over the two of them as they walked.

As they approached yet another field, Thranduil started to talk.

“Charlie came to work for me not long after I relocated here,” he said, his eyes on the gravel path at his feet as they strolled along. “He’d had a troubled history. He’d served in the forces and had been unable to adapt once he returned to being a civilian. Couldn’t hold down a job for long, started drinking heavily, getting into fights and all sorts of trouble.”

Kai stayed quiet as she listened.

“He joined a fitness centre and started boxing, and that seemed to give him a motivation to get his life together,” he continued. “Fili, one of the nephews of my agent, was a member there too, just starting out learning how to box. Charlie took him under his wing and became a sort of mentor for him.”

“I always saw a caring, compassionate side of him whenever he was around the unit,” she said.

He nodded. “He really found his groove, and settled down. Thorin – that’s my agent – told me he was looking for steady employment, so I said I’d have a talk with him. I’d only just bought this place, and as you can see, there’s a lot of land that needs taking care of. He seemed keen, so I started him doing groundwork, maintenance, that type of thing.”

She glanced up at him. “And that worked, I assume?”

“Yes,” he answered. “He took to it like a duck to water. He thrived on organising a routine for doing things, and approached every challenge with enthusiasm. I’m away from home more than I’m here, with filming, appearances, and whatnot, but when I was here, we bonded pretty quickly and became good friends.”

They crossed the grass towards a field where two horses grazed peacefully. Coming to a halt, Thranduil leaned his forearms on the fence and gazed over towards them.

“He turned out to be one of the most loyal, trustworthy people I’ve ever known,” he said, his tone soft. Ice blue eyes glanced at her, standing at his side facing him. “In my line of work, people will sell you out to the highest bidder. They’ll attach themselves to you in the hope of gaining their fifteen minutes of fame in the spotlight. They’ll invent stories to sell to the media, start rumours on the internet. Charlie wasn’t like that. He understood my need for privacy, and he never once broke that.”

“I can vouch for that,” she said. “In all the time I knew him, I had no idea where he worked, or who for. He never mentioned anything to any of us. That’s why I was more than a little sceptical about the secrecy surrounding this - today.”

His eyes lowered. “I apologise for that,” he told her. “I just…it’s difficult for me. Most of the time I can go out and about and be alright; people will leave me alone after a few autographs and some small talk, and other times it becomes so chaotic and stressful. I feel like I’m facing enough right now without dragging that sort of attention to the care home.”

“I understand,” she said. “I know that you’re never out of the papers, and that can’t be easy. I don’t know how you handle it all the time, being under scrutiny twenty four seven.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “You get used to it,” he said. “It comes with the job. And I’ve met some truly amazing people throughout my career. I wouldn’t swap those experiences for anything.”

“And neither you should.”

“Charlie was a good friend; he was a special person.”

She smiled. “And you have memories of him that no-one else has,” she said. “And comfort in the knowledge that you helped him sort his life out, gave him security, a reason to be proud of himself. Nothing can take that away. Not even death can do that.”

He didn’t reply, simply stared into her eyes until a beautiful black horse loomed at his side, nudging his shoulder with his nose.

“This is Aztec,” he said, turning and rubbing the horse’s nose.

“He’s stunning,” she said, running her hand down his long neck. “Absolutely gorgeous. How old is he?”

“He’s six years old,” he answered, an adoring smile on his face as the horse nuzzled his hand. Digging into his pocket, he produced a small green apple. “Would you like to give him this?”

She grinned like a child, taking the fruit from him.

Aztec turned his attention to her as she held it in the palm of her hand, her fingers flat. He snuffled softly as he took it, and she laughed as she rubbed his nose. He turned away, chomping on the apple.

“I think that I should go and see Charlie,” Thranduil said suddenly, turning his body to face her. “I think that would be the right thing to do.”

Dark blue eyes gazed up into his. “Is it what you _want_ to do?” she questioned. “Sometimes the right thing to do isn’t always the thing that you want.”

He pursed his mouth, drawing her gaze. “I think so,” he said after a few seconds’ thought. “I feel like I owe him.”

She nodded, turning her eyes back to the horse who’d wandered off, content with the treat he’d been given from the stranger with his master. “Just be sure that you’re at peace with your decision,” she advised. “Is there someone who’ll go with you?”

“I think probably Bard will go,” he said with a nod. “He’s a really good friend and was for Charlie too; I don’t think he’d stay away.”

“You know you can call the unit at any time, day or night, and we’ll be there to support you,” she told him.

He laughed softly. “It sounds ridiculous, especially given what I do, but it takes me a while to warm up and talk to people I don’t know,” he said, a slight pink hue dusting his amazing cheekbones.

“I’ll give you my cell phone number if you like,” she suggested, and rooted around in her bag for her pen. “Damn…I don’t suppose you have any paper..?”

He shook his head.

“I can’t use the Xerox copy,” she muttered, still searching. “Bloody hell.” On impulse, she grabbed his hand and turned it so his palm faced skywards, and wrote her number on his skin. “If you can’t reach anyone at the unit that you’re comfortable with, call me on this number. I seldom turn it off, so I can guide you through whatever you need to know.”

He nodded, closing his fingers over his burning palm as she recapped her pen. “Thankyou,” he said quietly. “And thankyou for coming here. I really do appreciate it.”

“It’s not a problem,” she assured him, tossing her bag over one shoulder again. “I need to think about heading off. I’ve got a lot to do this afternoon.”

“Of course. I’m sorry to have kept you back,” he said hurriedly, digging his cell phone out of his back pocket and hitting speed-dial.

“Don’t be silly, you haven’t kept me back,” she assured him.

He spoke briefly to Bard, asking him to pick her up and take her home, then disconnected the call.

“I could get a cab,” she said.

“No. You were good enough to do me the favour of coming here; the least I can do is make sure you get home safely,” he told her. “Bard will be along in a few minutes with the car.”

“Well, thankyou for that,” she said.

They chatted for a short while, before the black SUV pulled up alongside them. Bard climbed out and opened the passenger door with a smile.

She turned back to Thranduil. The breeze blew softly, gently tossing the loose hair that flowed freely around his broad shoulders and down his back. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, still unable to get her head around the fact that she was standing so close to someone she’d had such lascivious thoughts about, and was having a conversation with him.

“Call me when you’ve settled with Lux,” she said, and held her hand out. “I’ll see you soon.”

He shook it, again noticing how his flesh burned at the contact. “Take care.”

She turned away and climbed into the car, fastening her seat belt as Bard closed the door for her. Her eyes met Thranduil’s over his shoulder, the intensity in his blue gaze taking her breath away.

Blinking in determination, she turned away and busied herself with her bag, while the two men exchanged a few words.

*****

“You have got to be kidding me,” Robbie gasped, making a noise that sounded suspiciously like a beer bottle being slammed down.

Kai grinned, shaking her head. “Nope. I’m not. I’m deadly serious.”

“Thranduil Oropherion?? The guy you’ve practically been orgasming over for months, desperate to have his babies?!”

“Shhhh! Numbnuts,” she hissed. “Fuck sake, stop saying that!”

“No way,” he said, picking up his bottle and taking another slug. “No fucking way.”

“Yeah fucking way,” she responded, taking a sip of her coffee. “I swear to God.”

“Did you faint?” he asked. “Drool? Orgasm?”

She burst out laughing, erupting into a coughing fit. “No I didn’t,” she spluttered. “Holy shit Robs, get a grip of yourself. He’s a working project, for lack of a better word.”

“Yeah, working on _what?_ ” he laughed. “I know you and your dirty, perverted little mind, lady. I _know_ how much you fancy the arse off him.”

“Come on, yes, I _do_ love his work and I think he’s absolutely gorgeous, but it’s a fantasy. Nothing more.”

He snorted at the end of the phone. “Give it time,” he muttered. “I’m sure you’ll be able to charm the drawers off him if you put your mind to it.”

She gasped incredulously. “Robbie! Get a grip, you pervert. He’s just lost a really close friend and employee, the guy’s in pieces! How can you think like that? And you make me sound like some sort of slut.”

“Far from it, Flower,” he said. “I can’t remember the last time you went out on a date. It would do you good. And what better guy to date than one you’ve had a million fantasies about?”

“Now you’re being ridiculous,” she chided him. “I’m doing what our job entails, remember? Being there for those who’ve lost someone? Don’t forget we’ve lost Charlie too.” She fell silent. “I’m really going to miss seeing him around the unit, Robs.”

“Yeah…me too,” he said softly.

Her gaze darted towards her laptop as a _ping_ sounded.

“Look, I’m gonna go,” she said, her attention back on the call. “I’ll see you in the morning, ok?”

“Will do, sweet dreams…you pervert,” he said, ending on a laugh.

She shook her head as she cut the connection and tossed the phone onto the table, grabbing the laptop and sliding it over onto her knees.

DragonFire had sent her a message.

_Hi Tiger. How was your day? I hope it was better than yesterday._

_Hey Dragon,_ she sent back. _It was a little better, yes. How about you?_

_A slight improvement,_ he replied. _I have a lot in front of me at the moment, but I’m sure I’ll be able to work through it._

She curled her legs underneath her on the couch and lifted her coffee. _Personally or professionally?_ She asked.

_A bit of both, but more personally,_ he responded.

_That’s a shame. Anything I can do?_

_Talking to you helps. You make me laugh,_ he said.

She smiled to herself. _The forum’s quiet tonight._

_I think you’ve scared everybody off,_ the answer pinged back.

_Me? No. Not little me. You must have me mixed up with someone else._

_Ha! I’ve seen how you handle yourself in there,_ he said. _Have you seen any good movies lately?_

_No, but I’m in the middle of an amazing book,_ she answered. _Do you read?_

_All the time._

Kai smiled to herself as she typed in the name of the book she was reading, along with the author’s name.

_I haven’t read that one,_ DragonFire replied. _But I’ve read some of his other works. I like his style._

_It pulls you right in,_ she responded. _I usually can’t stop until I’ve finished the whole book in one sitting. It draws me deep into the whole story._

_The mark of a good writer,_ he said. _I work with writers occasionally, and sometimes their lack of enthusiasm leaves a lot to be desired._

_Some people have no imagination,_ she said. _And that makes the world a sad place. That’s what I like about movies and books; I can lose myself in someone else’s imaginative world._

_That’s a good way to look at it,_ he typed back. _I suppose it’s a way of disconnecting with the real world and taking a break._

_I don’t know about you, but quite often I feel the need to disconnect and find my own space._

_Every single day,_ he replied. _I have a great life, but I still need time out to find myself regularly._

_Thank God I’m not the only one,_ she said.

_I promise – you’re not,_ he replied. _Anyway, I’m going to have an early night, Tiger. I have a packed schedule tomorrow, and I could do with a decent rest. You have a good night._

_You too,_ she typed back, and smiled as she switched the laptop off.

Sometimes they only exchanged a few words, others they talked for hours, depending on what was going on at the time. She’d come to look forward to their almost daily chats, feeling like somehow they were a little bit of mystery that never needed solving in a world where she was constantly battling to fix things and make things right.

Setting the device back onto the table, she hauled herself up from the couch and went through to the kitchen to feed Tigra, before heading through to her bedroom.

*****

Painted pink nails slowly trailed down the gap exposed by the open neckline of Thranduil’s shirt. He inhaled deeply through his nose, grasping the delicate wrist and removing it.

“Do not touch me,” he growled, his voice a low rumble.

Olivia smiled. “You used to enjoy it,” she murmered. “What changed?”

“You did,” he shot back. “And you can never change back.”

A perfectly plucked eyebrow lifted briefly. “Maybe you’ll like the changes,” she said, undoing the top button of her blouse. A killer cleavage came into view as she undid a second one. “How do you know if you never try?”

He swallowed, clenching his teeth together. Moving suddenly, he gripped her upper arms and crashed his mouth down to hers, backing her up against the wooden door that shook with the impact.

“Cut!” yelled Otis. “Not bad, not bad at all. ‘Liv, maybe a little bit more seductive in the tone? I feel it’s not quite _vixen_ enough.”

The actress laughed, trailing her fingers down Thranduil’s chest as he took a step back from her. “If you wanted vixen, you should have said,” she replied. “I can do vixen.” Her eyes met her co-star’s, who blinked and turned away.

“I think we’ll stop for a half hour break,” the director said, to a chorus of cheers.

Thranduil himself was relieved, and quickly moved himself further away from Olivia. He was uncomfortable working with her, but refused to be unprofessional or to go bitching to Otis about it. A job was a job, and a paycheck was a paycheck.

He shrugged out of the leather jacket he had on, laying it carefully over the back of a chair as he passed.

“Thran,” Otis called out. “Can I have a word?”

“Sure,” he replied, turning direction and approaching him. “What’s up?”

The director glanced around before speaking. “There are rumours going around about you and Olivia,” he said, speaking quietly.

“Forget them,” he snapped instantly. “I can’t stand the woman. I do not even like being near her.”

One eyebrow lifted in a gesture that clearly spoke of disbelief. “You sure?”

“I think I know my own tastes, Otis,” Thranduil replied. “Trust me – I would not touch her if she was the last woman on the planet. Do not fuel ridiculous gossip, and do not encourage her. I have a hard enough time prying myself loose from her.”

“Fine,” he huffed. “Just make sure you keep it professional on shoot. I don’t want to lose money having to re-shoot scenes, be it because you can’t keep your hands off each other, or can’t stand the sight of each other. Play it the way it’s supposed to be played; nothing more, nothing less.”

“I will,” he said, turning and walking away, anger in his stride. His eye caught his co-star’s across the other side of the set, looking away again as she smiled at him. “Damned woman,” he muttered.

“Hey Thran,” Bard said, looking up from his phone. “How did the shoot go?”

“The shoot went fine,” he snapped, throwing the door to his dressing room open. “It’s Otis and his damned speculating that’s the problem.” He turned in the middle of the small room, his hands on his hips.

“Ok, I can see that you’re pissed off,” his friend said. “And I think I’m about to piss you off even more.”

“Great,” he sighed. Dropping his weight into a chair, he crossed one long leg over the other. “Let me hear it.”

“Lux called earlier. They’ve booked you in for a viewing slot at nine o’clock tonight,” he told him. “They’re really busy and couldn’t fit you in any earlier. But…” He trailed off.

Thranduil raised his eyebrows expectantly.

“I can’t go,” Bard said, making a grimacing face. “Tilda has a play tonight, and I promised her I’d be there. Sorry Thran – I hate to let you down, but I can’t stand my little girl up.”

“That’s fine, I understand,” he said, waving his hand. “She’s more important. Do your thing; it’s alright. Honestly.”

“You going yourself?”

The blonde took a deep breath. “Yes, probably,” he answered. A vague thought flickered at the edge of his mind, but he pushed it away with a frown.

“How did you get on with Kai yesterday?” Bard asked, watching him closely.

“Ok, I suppose,” he replied. He frowned. “Why?”

“No, nothing. It was just a random thought I had.”

The frown deepened. “Which was..?”

“Well, she _did_ say more than once that she’s there if we need her,” he said, shifting his weight as he perched on the edge of the table. “Maybe she’d go with you.”

Thranduil scowled. “I do not need someone holding my damned hand,” he said.

“I never said that you did. But what I _am_ saying is that it’s not an easy thing you’ve decided to do, and right now you don’t know anyone with more experience than she has,” he pointed out. “It wouldn’t do any harm to give her a call. Just ask her what to expect, and drop in the fact that you’ll be going yourself. If she’s as conscientious about her work as I think she is, she’ll offer to go with you.”

“That’s a bit underhanded,” he said. “I don’t like being devious.”

His friend shook his head. “It’s not being devious. It’s presenting an opportunity to her without directly putting her in a hot spot.”

Thranduil pulled his lips in as he considered what Bard was saying. “I don’t know,” he murmered eventually. “But I do think it would be easier to have someone with me. This isn’t something I’m actually looking forward to, if you know what I mean.”

“You don’t have to go,” he told him.

“No. But I feel like I owe it to Charlie,” he explained. “Who else will go and say goodbye? His father is the only family he had. There’s no-one else.”

Bard nodded slowly. “Call her,” he advised, standing up. “I have to run. I’m picking up Bain’s new amplifier for his guitar.”

He frowned in confusion. “What happened to his other one?”

His friend gave him a wry look over his shoulder. “It blew up,” he said.

Thranduil laughed heartily as he disappeared out of the dressing room.


	6. Chapter 6

** CHAPTER SIX **

****

Kai crashed through the doors to the staff area, whipping her tunic up and over her head as she moved.

“Bloody hell, you’re in a hurry! Where’s the party?” Robbie asked, almost spilling his bottle of coke as she bumped into him on the way past.

“I’m going to Lux with Thranduil,” she replied. “Shift your arse. I need into my locker.”

“You’re going on a date?” he asked in surprise.

“A fucking date,” she snorted. “Like hell. He’s going to see Charlie, and his pal has let him down. He has nobody else to go with him. Will you _move_ , dammit?”

He tutted as he shifted to one side, allowing her access to her locker. “Touch up your makeup a little,” he advised.

“I’ll touch you up in a minute, and not the way you’d like to be touched,” she spat. She dragged her top out of her bag and slipped it on over her head, yanking her hair loose. “Do I look ok?”

He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. “For someone who’s _not_ going on a date, you’re awfully concerned about how you look,” he said accusingly.

“Robs, I’m going to a goddamned funeral home,” she said, exasperated. “I don’t particularly want to show up looking like a trog.”

“You look fine. Brush your hair though,” he said, waving the bottle at her.

“Up or down?”

“Down.”

She grunted and quickly brushed her long hair. “What are you up to tonight?”

“I have a date,” he grinned.

“Oo! Do tell!”

“I’m meeting Darren from the oncology unit,” he said.

“You’re going on a date with a nurse?” she asked, halting in her task as she whipped round to him in surprise. “Go on my son!”

He laughed. “I couldn’t be your son,” he said. “You’d have to have been in your forties when you had me, I look so young.”

“I’ll punch you out,” she threatened humorously. “It’s a saying, and you know it. And what d’you mean, in my _forties_?! You’re a sarcastic fuck, you know that?”

He roared. “I’m just kidding, Flower. Is the Blonde God picking you up?”

“Yes,” she replied as she dropped her brush into her backpack and zipped it up. “He should be outside now, or close.”

“I want details in the morning,” he sang.

She swept past him, kissing his cheek as he passed. “There won’t be any details, not the kind you’re after anyway. I want _your_ details when you pick me up in the morning. Behave, and use a condom.”

“I have some spare if you want to take some with you!” he roared after her as she left the room and disappeared back through the building.

She ignored him, and stepped out into the warm air.

Thranduil’s black SUV was parked to one side, and she crossed over to it. He opened the driver’s door as she neared, stepping out.

“Hi,” he said.

Her heart thumped wildly. He was dressed in black pants and a black shirt, the first few buttons undone giving her a glimpse of his throat and chest. His long blonde hair swept down over his shoulders, swaying gently as he moved.

“Hi,” she replied with a smile.

He walked around the vehicle and opened the passenger door.

“Thankyou,” she said, sliding inside and settling herself.

He closed the door and got back in his side, starting the engine. “Kai…” He trailed off, and turned to look at her. “Thankyou for doing this,” he said softly. “I don’t know if I could do it alone.”

“Hey, it’s nothing,” she told him. “All part of the service.” She flashed a smile at him.

“I know you’ve probably been on your feet all day and want to go home,” he said as he guided the car down the slight slope onto the main road.

“That’s alright. I’ve had a pretty easy shift today, for once,” she told him. “It’s not often that happens, so I made the most of it. I managed to get through a lot of paperwork that was back-logged to hell and back.”

A tight smile curved his mouth as he drove.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“It was…challenging,” he admitted. “I guess every day is different, especially in what I do. But I got through it. Then Bard told me his youngest has a school play or something on tonight, and he couldn’t let her down.”

“Oh no, he has to attend that,” she agreed. “How old is the wee one?”

He frowned as he changed gears in a swift movement. “About ten, I think,” he said thoughtfully. “He has three; two girls and a boy. I can never keep track of how old they are, time moves so quickly.”

She nodded, humming in agreement.

“Do you have any kids?” he asked, glancing at her.

“No,” she laughed. “Just a fat, lazy cat.”

The conversation rolled as they headed towards the funeral home, discussing anything but the upcoming event. Kai sensed he was tense, but didn’t mention it.

They pulled up outside a long, single-storey building and he sighed heavily as he turned the engine off.

“It’s not too late to back out,” she said softly.

Without answering, he opened his door and climbed out, and her gaze followed the fall of his hair as it swept down his back. Leaving her backpack in the foot-well, she got out and closed her door. He stood with his hands in his pockets, staring at the building.

“Are you ready?” he asked, glancing down at her as she came to a stop at his side.

“Ready when you are,” she replied.

They walked side by side up the path which was bordered with small green plants and shrubs. Thranduil opened the door and placed a hand on her lower back as he ushered her inside in front of him. Her equilibrium went apeshit.

An impeccably-dressed attendant appeared, with a pleasant, but not obtrusive smile.

“Hi,” Kai said with a gentle smile. “Mr Oropherion and Ms Walker to see Charles Tasker.”

“Certainly Ma’am, Sir,” the attendant said with a bow of his head. “Follow me please. Would you like anything to drink before you go into the viewing?”

She glanced up at Thranduil, who shook his head. “No, thankyou,” she replied.

They walked behind the attendant along a corridor painted a relaxing shade of cream, with various paintings lining the walls, and a plush dark cream carpet underfoot. Nobody spoke, and she sensed increasing tension radiating from her companion.

They stopped outside a closed door.

“Please take your time, take all the time you need,” the attendant told them. “I’ll be along at the front office when you’re ready to leave, or if you need anything.” He smiled a genuine smile, bowed his head again and silently departed.

She turned to Thranduil as he took a shuddering breath. “Are you ok?” she asked.

He swallowed nervously, and nodded. “Yes. I will be fine.”

She frowned. “Look, it’s not too late to change your mind,” she told him again, concerned about his demeanour. “Nobody’s forcing you to do this.”

He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides several times, a trait she knew to be about gaining self-control. “I owe this to Charlie,” he said, his eyes darker than usual.

“Ok,” she said softly. “If you feel uncomfortable at any point, then that’s ok. When you look at him, just imagine he’s asleep.”

He took another shaky breath, and Kai had a fleeting thought that if he kept that up he’d end up hyperventilating.

Instinctively, she held her hand out, meeting his eyes and almost daring him not to take it. After a few seconds, he gripped her hand, his cold fingers squeezing hers.

She slowly pushed the door open, leading him in right behind her. The room was comfortable, with flowers arranged strategically around, and soft lighting. Gentle music played quietly from an unseen source.

In the middle of the room stood a large plinth, on top of which was placed a casket.

Thranduil swallowed audibly at her side, his gaze fixed on the coffin.

Giving him a few moments to compose himself and get his thoughts together, she took the few steps forward, taking him with her.

“Oh, Charlie,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “You look so handsome.”

Charlie lay in the silk-lined casket, his hands crossed over his abdomen. He was dressed in a navy blue suit, a pale blue shirt, and a tie with white dots on it. His hair had been brushed until it shone, his face carefully and expertly made up, his eyes closed. For all intents and purposes, he could have been sleeping.

Not letting go of Thranduil’s hand, she reached into the casket with her free hand and gently smoothed it down his hair, trailing the back of her forefinger down his cheek.

“So peaceful,” she murmered.

Thranduil squeezed her fingers harder, and she turned her head to look at him. His gaze was fixed somewhere on the casket lining.

“You can look at him,” she encouraged gently. “Nothing’s going to happen.”

With a concentrated effort, he slowly shifted his eyes, focusing on Charlie’s face. The air left his lungs with a whoosh, making her wonder what he’d expected.

“You’re doing fine,” she said, continuing in her soft tone.

“I do not know what I expected,” he admitted. “I really do not know.”

She squeezed his fingers back reassuringly. “Nobody does the first time they do this,” she told him. “I’ve been here so many times, I’m on first-name terms with the staff. It seems to follow on from work.”

“He looks so relaxed...serene...do you know what I mean?”

She offered him a small smile. “I know. That’s what you want to hold onto, this memory. Right here, right now, seeing him at peace like this.”

Her heart broke as a solitary tear trickled down his cheek.

“I cannot get it out of my head how he was...the way he laughed, his voice...” he whispered.

“And you don’t want to. You need to keep that memory too, and when things get too much, bring it back to the front of your mind and cherish that you can remember those times,” she said.

He let go of her hand, walking to stand across from her on the other side of Charlie. “I’m sorry I could not prevent what happened,” he said, speaking to the body of his former employee. “I’m sorry I cannot re-write the other day and give you a different result. I am sorry there was nobody with you.” He paused, swiping the back of his hand across his cheek as another tear escaped. “I promise with all my heart and soul that I shall take care of your father; I promise I will not let you down.”

She took a deep breath as she took a discreet step back, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment, and his head shot up.

“Where are you going?” he asked, his eyes bright with tears.

“I was going to give you time alone,” she explained.

He shook his head. “No. Stay. Please.”

“Ok. If you’re sure,” she said, stepping back to where she’d stood. Placing her hand on the back of Charlie’s clasped hands, she took a moment or two before speaking.

Thranduil gazed at her over the coffin.

“Your dad’s doing great,” she said, her tone soft. “Everybody’s running after him, making a fuss of him, and he’s just loving it.” She paused for a few seconds. “He’s got his eye on one of the night-shift girls, and keeps ringing for her through the night, knowing she’ll answer.” A sad smile curved her mouth. “It’s not the same without you coming by to visit. There’s nobody to nag me into finding a boyfriend, and nobody to laugh at Robbie’s hair anymore. It’s too quiet.”

Thranduil’s gaze never wavered as she spoke, her own gaze on the body.

“Sleep tight, Charlie. We all miss you so much,” she whispered, her voice breaking as silent tears flowed down her cheeks.

Thranduil held his hand out over the coffin and she grasped it, grateful for the comforting gesture. He leaned down into the casket and said something in such a soft, low tone that she couldn’t make it out, and when he straightened up, his tears were free-flowing.

Keeping hold of her hand, he circled back around to her side and walked towards the door with her. Once they were back in the corridor with the door to the viewing room closed behind them, he turned to her, his ice blue eyes as anguished as hers.

Going with his instinct, his arms folded around her in a crushing embrace. Kai’s arms automatically went up around him, holding him tight as they both cried their grief. She hated doing the funeral home visits, but took the responsibility seriously, as she knew sometimes family members or friends didn’t have the inner strength to go alone. And if it was someone she’d taken care of, sometimes it was closure for her after having seen the person in pain or suffering before they passed away.

“Thankyou for being here with me,” he said, as they eventually pulled apart, although his hands remained on her upper arms. “I am indebted to you for your care and support.”

She shook her head. “No you’re not. I told you, you wouldn’t have to do this alone.”

With the gentlest of touches, he carefully wiped her tears away using his thumbs. “I’m sorry you got upset.”

“It never gets any easier,” she admitted, sniffing as she shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m not being professional at all.”

“Hey – you’re human,” he said. “There is nothing wrong with showing your emotions.”

She nodded, pulling back a little to drag her hands over her cheeks.

He lifted his arm and held it out to her, and she linked hers through it as they walked back along the carpeted hallway towards the main office. Pausing in the doorway, she leaned in and spoke quietly to the attendant, who came out and shook Thranduil’s hand.

“I hope you found peace,” he said, a true, genuine warmth in his eyes.

The blonde nodded stiffly. “Thankyou.”

“And a pleasure as always, Ms Walker,” he said, turning to Kai with a soft smile.

She returned it, shaking his hand. “You take care.”

The pair linked arms again and stepped out into the sun, which had lowered a little since their arrival at Lux. They got into the car, where he sat silent for a few moments.

“Are you ok?” she asked.

He nodded. “Yes. I think so.” He glanced at her and sighed as he started the car. “Home to an empty house…after this.”

“Do you want to grab a coffee somewhere?” she asked. “Maybe it’ll help get what happened out of your system enough to let you sleep when you get home.”

“I’ve taken up too much of your time already,” he said.

“No you haven’t. I hadn’t anything planned anyway. Come on, let’s find somewhere that’s open and we can have a cuppa.”

“I wish I could, I really do. But I’m pushing my luck being out without security as it is,” he said wistfully. He leaned his head back against the head rest with a heavy sigh.

“Look…just a suggestion,” she said. “My house is about twenty minutes from here. You’re more than welcome to come over. And before you even think of saying it,” she said as he opened his mouth to speak. “You are _not_ taking up my time. We can do this as friends, and friends don’t take up one another’s time.”

He gazed at her, tears in his eyes as he nodded slowly. “I would like that,” he said, his voice quiet. “I feel…I feel like I cannot end the day right now. Like I have to see something else or do something else before I close off for the night. I don’t know if you can understand that.”

“From your point of view, yes,” she answered. “And it makes perfect sense. Come on; I’ll direct you to my humble abode. Although…” She stopped.

“What?” he asked with a concerned frown.

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head.

“Tell me.”

She glanced over at him. “I’ve seen your house,” she said, and left it at that as she looked out of the window on her side.

He frowned. “Oh Kai, please don’t tell me you think I’m that kind of person,” he said, almost in question. “Have I given you that impression?”

“No,” she admitted. “But it’s nothing compared to your standards.”

He shook his head as he looked away, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he clenched his teeth. “I’m as human as the next person,” he said quietly. “I have a big house because I’ve worked hard and I can afford it. You’re judging me on materialistic things.”

“I’m not. I just…never mind. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea.”

Silence fell between them.

The vehicle moved off from the parking spot, joining in the light flow of traffic on the main road. Neither of them spoke for a long time.

“Take a left at the next junction,” she said softly, breaking the tense atmosphere.

He glanced at her as he slowed down. “I do not wish for you to be uncomfortable,” he said eventually.

“I won’t be,” she assured him. “It’s just my self-consciousness kicking in, that’s all. I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m sorry if I did.”

He took a deep breath, signalling left as he swept the car around the turning. “You didn’t. I just want to be treated the same as anyone else. Everywhere I go, everybody I talk to…they all put on a mask and I never see the true person underneath.”

“Because of who you are,” she said softly.

“Yes. People think that they either have something to gain, or something to prove,” he told her. “It becomes tiresome. They forget I have bad days like everyone else on this planet. I fall out of bed with my hair all over the place. I leave laundry on the bathroom floor. I have dogs that shit all over my yard and I pick it up like anyone else would.”

“You’re up on a pedestal, and you’re expected to live up to peoples’ expectations,” she surmised.

“Exactly. I go and get gas just like they do. I have days when I just want to hide away from the world and keep myself to myself. I get angry. I cry. I’m the same as the next person.” His words made her take a deep breath.

“I did insult you,” she said. “I honestly didn’t mean to.”

He shrugged. “You didn’t, honestly,” he told her, glancing as he drove. “I think you’re the first person I’ve met in the last fifteen years who’s spoken to me like a real person and not some idealistic notion of what they think I should be. I appreciate that.”

“Next on the right,” she said. “I try to treat everybody the same; it’s part of my training and the core basis of what I do. But I guess that comment I made was stupid. I didn’t think it through.”

“Yes you did, otherwise you wouldn’t have said it,” he grinned, glancing at her again. “Do not worry about it, please. Forget it.”

She pointed to a small single-storey house, set into a lawn with various potted plants scattered around. “This is it. You won’t find any movie-star grandeur, but you _will_ find a friendly cup of coffee and a crazy cat who thinks he lives in Egypt where everybody worships him.” A smile accompanied her words, and he laughed.

“I love cats,” he admitted, turning the engine off as he parked in her drive. “I said after Loo died that I wouldn’t get another one; it hit me hard when I lost her.”

“Loo?” she questioned as she unbuckled her seat belt.

“Short for Lunatic,” he replied. “She was absolutely off her head. Stark-raving mental.”

Her laughter bubbled over as she opened her door and slid down from her seat. “Well my moggy’s pretty much like that,” she told him. “He’s got a personality of his own, and he’s just nuts. I can’t believe you called your cat Lunatic!”

He slammed the driver’s door closed. “She was,” he defended his choice of moniker. “Seriously. She used to hurtle around the house in the middle of the night howling like a hyena.”

“Ha – you’re about to meet her partner in that,” she said dryly, as she led him towards the house. “This bugger’s part monkey. Every time I look at him, he’s halfway up the curtains or swinging off the ceiling light.”

He chuckled behind her as she opened the door and stepped inside. “Wow…this is great,” he said, stopping and absorbing everything around him.

The entrance hall opened into a reasonably-sized lounge area, which she’d decorated in shades of grey and cream. Two two-seater light grey couches sat at ninety degrees to one another, with darker grey cushions scattered on them. A warm shade of cream-come-very light peach covered the walls, with darker curtains that swept the floor on either side of the window. The floor itself was wood panelling, polished to a high shine. A fluffy rug rested in the middle of the room, upon which sat a low table holding a laptop and a couple of books.

She eyed him sceptically.

“It’s cosy and comfortable,” he explained at her look. “A place you can come home to and relax in. Peaceful.”

“When Robbie from work isn’t here,” she said, heading through to the kitchen.

He followed her. “Who’s Robbie, one of the care team?”

She nodded as she switched the kettle on and lifted two cups from the drying rack beside the sink. “Yes. You’ll never meet a bigger diva than our Robs,” she replied. “He thinks the world revolves around him, but he’s got a heart of gold. He’s my best friend; has been for years.”

He swallowed, watching her prepare their coffee. “Where’s this crazy feline?” he asked.

“God knows…probably off killing something somewhere,” she muttered. “Every day he brings me home a variety of dead creatures. Like I don’t see enough death, for chrissakes.”

He grinned. “You know-“ he began.

“Yeah, yeah – they’re supposed to be presents,” she cut him off. “Gifts like that, I could do without. I have to bury the poor wee things. My back yard is like a pet cemetery.”

Something clicked at the back of his mind as she said the word _wee,_ but he couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Quickly making their drinks, she handed him a mug and walked past him to the lounge, sitting back with a sigh as she leaned back against the soft cushions.

He lowered himself to the other couch, his gaze landing on the books on her table. Something else clicked in his head, but again, he couldn’t work out what it was. “How long have you lived here?” he asked.

“Almost ten years,” she replied. “My uncle died and left me the place, and I’ve been slowly bringing it back to life ever since. He wasn’t fit enough to maintain the house towards the end.” Her eyes shifted towards the stairs as she heard a thump on the floor above, and a smile broke out over her face. “Come here baby…mama’s home,” she called, leaning forwards and setting her mug down.

A large black fluffy cat hurtled into the lounge and darted across the floor, leaping into her arms. She immediately embraced the animal, burying her face in the soft fur. “This,” she said proudly, “is Tigra.”

Thranduil froze.

“What?” she asked, frowning at him as she cuddled the cat.

He set his mug down beside hers, and lifted one of the books. He swallowed. “You’re reading this,” he said, gazing at the cover. “You have a cat called Tigra.” He looked at her. “And you’ve never held a baby koala.”

She blinked.

“You don’t kill spiders. They eat the bugs that bite,” he said softly.

She paled. “What?”

“You like books and movies because you can lose yourself in someone else’s imaginative world.” He replaced the book, drawing his lower lip in between his teeth. “LittleTigerFeet,” he said.

Her mouth opened in shock.


	7. Chapter 7

** CHAPTER SEVEN **

****

Kai closed her mouth and swallowed. “There’s only one way you could know that,” she whispered.

Thranduil gave her a small smile.

“You’re DragonFire,” she said.

He nodded. “Yes. I am.”

She stared at him for a few moments, and then burst out laughing. Tigra snuffled and leapt down off her lap, disappearing into the kitchen on a quest for something to eat. “Oh my God,” she said in amazement. “ _Seriously?!”_

He grinned. “What are the chances? We’ve been talking almost every day for months!”

She shook her head, trying to clear it. “I’ll be damned,” she muttered, and laughed again. “Why d’you lurk on your own forum page?” she asked curiously.

He shrugged as he lifted his coffee and sat back again. “I like to keep up with what people think of my work,” he told her. “And what people will say to defend it.” A wicked grin appeared.

Her cheeks turned pink. “Oh fuck…I’d forgotten about that,” she said. “Oh well…what’s done is done. It had to be said.”

He smiled as he stared down into his mug, a faint tinge of pink dusting his cheeks. “I can’t believe it’s you,” he admitted.

“Now I know why you were a bit down the other day,” she remarked, and pulled her legs up beneath her. “You’d just lost Charlie.”

He hummed in agreement. “And you’d just found out too.”

A comfortable silence fell over the two of them, and she quickly scrolled backwards in her mind, trying to remember if she’d said anything untoward during their messaging.

Like wanting to fuck the arse off him.

“I have a question for you,” he said, breaking her line of thought.

She gazed at him as she sipped her coffee.

“Why haven’t you pushed me for the fees for Charlie’s father?”

Her eyebrows rose briefly, and she shifted her position slightly. “Because it’s not my main concern,” she replied. “His health and well-being are, and that of his extended family, and as of Charlie’s passing, that means you. His fees can wait. I’m more concerned with getting you guys through what lies ahead.”

He watched her for a few moments. “Charlie chose well,” he said softly.

“Thankyou,” she replied, meaning it. “The most important aspect right now is keeping Jack contented and safe, and doing what’s right by his son. Once all the hoo-ha has died down, then you can start thinking further along those lines. There’s no rush.”

He turned the cup he held, the item looking small in his large hands. “What is expected of me regarding Jack?”

“As much or as little as you want,” she answered. “We have patients who have visitors every day, and we have some who have no visitors. That choice lies with the families. In the meantime, we’re there around the clock to support them no matter what.”

He fell quiet for a moment. “I could not have done what I did this evening had you not been there.”

“I wouldn’t let anybody go through that alone,” she told him. “It can be quite a shock to your system if you haven’t done it before.”

“I know it sounds crazy, given your line of work,” he said. “But that’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone dead.”

“What’s so crazy about that? Lots of people go their whole lives and never see a dead person. It doesn’t make any difference to them either way,” she said.

“I have another question,” he said, and she smiled. “You said you were practically on first name terms with the people there...yet the attendant addressed you as Ms Walker.”

“That’s done out of respect,” she answered. “If I was to see him in the store, or out at a bar or something, it would’ve been ‘Hey Gus, hey Kai, how’s it going?’ but at work he has to be completely professional. All the staff are like that.”

“They definitely did a good job.”

“They’re right up there with the best,” she agreed, taking another sip and setting her cup down. “Did you notice the slight difference in colour on Charlie’s right temple? On the side where I was standing?”

Thranduil frowned as he cast his mind back. “No, I cannot say I did.”

“They used a slightly darker makeup to cover a scar,” she said. “It was only because I knew what I was looking for that I could see it.”

“Charlie did not have a scar on his right temple,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow at him. “He’d just been in a car crash,” she reminded him softly. “We don’t know what else they had to cover up.”

His eyes closed briefly. “Damn. How could I have forgotten that?”

“Because you’re human, and this isn’t something you do on a daily basis,” she replied. “So you couldn’t do that job, and the guys who worked on Charlie couldn’t do what you do. They couldn’t pull in the viewing figures you do, they couldn’t put their heart and soul into playing a part.”

He studied her for a while. “What took you into your line of work?”

She smiled, a heartfelt grin that came from her soul. “I love old people, I love helping people, and I love the satisfaction I get from that type of work. It’s hard to explain...dementia can and will, given the opportunity, ruin a person completely. It’s up to us to work with the person to get back as much dignity and independence as they can, to keep them safe, to help them have as meaningful a time as they can until it’s time for them to go.”

He leaned his elbow on the arm of the couch and rested his chin on his hand, watching her as she spoke.

“Not all our residents have dementia,” she continued. “They can tell you the most amazing stories, things they’ve done, things they’ve seen, places they’ve been in their lives. Those who do have the illness might need only a prompt to take their medication, or they can need everything done for them twenty four hours a day.”

“What do you mean, everything? Everything as in what? Dressing them?” he asked.

She took a drink of her coffee. “We have a few patients who are just...there...that’s the only way I can put it.” Sadness had crept into her voice, and into her eyes. “They can’t walk, talk, feed themselves, do their basic hygiene – we do everything for them except breathe.”

Thranduil’s eyes widened.

“They have to be washed, dressed, lifted out of bed with a hoist, put into a wheelchair, spoon fed, the whole lot. That’s what dementia can do to people Thranduil; it kills off their brains bit by bit until the only part that functions is the part that controls breathing. Then eventually it goes too.”

“I do not know how you can do it,” he murmered. “Watching someone get worse every day, every week, every month, knowing they’ll never get better.”

“It can be heart-breaking,” she admitted softly, a faraway look in her dark blue eyes. “But you know something? One day you’ll go in to see them, maybe you’ll be brushing their hair, or reading to them, and all of a sudden they’ll give you the smallest smile, just a tiny, wee hint of a smile, because that’s all they can manage. But that wee smile makes everything worth it.”

He nodded slowly. “I think I understand. I also think you’re a wonderful person. You and all the people who do it. Everybody sings praises for famous surgeons, or specialist doctors, but they tend to forget about the people who care for the same patients day after day after day.”

She smiled, embarrassed at his compliment. “You’re right, they do. Sometimes families don’t give a shit either, and that angers me more than anything. They won’t come visit, they won’t send a Christmas card, just little things like that. Then the minute uncle Bob dies, they’re all ‘woe is me’ and ‘oh poor uncle Bob’, when all they’re interested in is how much money the poor old soul has left.”

“The human race can be so twisted,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “They use and abuse, and greed can be so powerful.”

“I hate the human race most of the time,” she said. “And yet I’ve devoted my life to helping that very same race. A psychologist would have me carted off to a nice comfortable padded room to bounce off the walls.”

Thranduil tipped his head back and laughed, a contagious laugh that made her grin too. “I understand where you are with that, but it’s kind of different,” he said, looking back at her, his eyes still sparkling with amusement. “You’re taking care of the older end of the race, those who depend on you, and who need your help. You don’t have to deal with the horrible part of society. You’re away from the cheaters, the liars, the violent ones.”

She raised her eyebrows at him reproachfully. “Say again?” Tugging the shoulder of her top aside, she exposed a purple bruise around the size of his index finger. “This was a gift from a wee man who thought I was going to poison him when I gave him his medication yesterday.”

Thranduil’s mouth gaped open.

“He was confused, scared. He genuinely thought I was the devil or something, and kicked off. That was the result.” She pulled her top back into place.

“Oh my God,” he murmered in wonder. “Is there anything you can do about it?”

“Why would I?” she asked, gazing at him. “As far as he was concerned, I was trying to kill him. He was scared. He didn’t know any different. You can’t take any action on someone’s fear, rational or irrational.”

A comfortable silence settled over them, as he reflected on what she’d said.

“I’d better think about heading home,” he said eventually. “Let you get back to your evening.”

She swung her legs down onto the floor as he stood, rising at the same time. “Yeah, all those wild parties I attend on a regular basis,” she laughed. She followed him to the front door, where he stopped and turned, gazing down at her.

“Thankyou again for what you did for me,” he said. He opened his arms and she automatically stepped into them, closing her eyes as she leaned against his shoulder.

“No need to thank me,” she said quietly.

They pulled apart, his eyes finding hers again.

“Are you going to attend Charlie’s funeral?” he asked, lost in the blue of her eyes.

She nodded. “I probably will,” she replied. “I’ll probably represent the care unit on behalf of his father if he can’t make it, or if you don’t want to tell him what’s happened.”

“Something else to consider,” he said with a sigh, turning and opening the door.

“Don’t stress about it just now,” she advised. “Take a couple of days, think it over, maybe come and see him if you’re able. Then make your decision on whether you say anything, and where you want him to be.”

He turned back, a deep frown over his eyes. “He will be staying where he is,” he said firmly. “I know within myself without having been to the care unit that he has the best care. I have no intention of moving him.”

She nodded, folding her arms over her abdomen.

“I’ll call you when I have the details of the funeral,” he said, his frown disappearing. “Or maybe I’ll message you through the forum.” A grin followed, and she laughed.

“I still can’t get my head around that,” she told him. “Talk about coincidences.”

“Fate has a strange way of working,” he said. “Goodnight, Kai. And thankyou again.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied. “Goodnight. Drive safe.”

He waved over his shoulder as he walked down the drive to his car, his long hair flowing like silk down his back.

She watched him climb into the huge vehicle, fasten his seat belt and start the engine. He lifted his hand in a brief wave as he pulled away, and she closed the door.

*****

Kai lay staring at the ceiling, listening to the occasional car pass by on the street outside. The fan whirled above her, sending shadows whirling around in the semi darkness. Unable to sleep, she’d watched the shadows for the past hour.

Frustrated, she threw the covers back, got up and padded through to the fridge. Grabbing a fruit cocktail, she went back through and booted up her laptop. Tigra trotted after her and entwined himself between her feet as she sat on the couch. She reached down and petted him, but he seemed more interested in what she was eating.

Her email page loaded, and she checked her inbox for anything urgent. Not surprised to find nothing in there except junk, she changed the page to a news one instead.

Then sighed in deeper frustration at the site’s recommended viewing for her.

Thranduil Oropherion and his latest acting role.

Popping a raspberry in her mouth, she clicked on the suggested article. Thranduil’s image filled the screen, long with a lengthy article about the upcoming movie and the latest pictures of him leaked from the set. The pictures of him were stunning; particularly the image of him walking towards his car wearing a dark suit, the collar of his shirt open, his hair flowing over both shoulders down his chest.

She leaned back into the chair, tucking her feet beneath her. The photo was absolutely breathtaking.

Tigra padded around and disappeared after realizing there was only fruit being eaten. His tail swished against Kai’s knee as he walked away, but went unnoticed. Biting slowly into a grape, she stared at the screen, mesmerised as she stared at the photograph.

Jesus Christ, she thought, slamming the laptop lid down. She felt flushed, and yanked at her strappy top to encourage cool air to circulate. It was ridiculous getting aroused over a picture of someone walking! Grabbing her emergency stash of cigarettes, she jumped up and went barefoot out onto the doorstep of her house. Sitting down on the top step, she inhaled deeply and stared out across the city, appreciating the breeze.

Shaking her head, she turned her thoughts to her work.

Poor Jack. Isolated in a world of his own, he had no knowledge of his son’s unfortunate demise. Every day he expected Charlie to appear, and on the days when he was busy and hadn’t visited, the staff had had a great deal of work cut out for them distracting him. Kai imagined things could only get worse now Charlie was gone forever. But she stayed firm on her belief that it would be cruel to tell him, and sometimes a little ignorance was bliss. This was definitely something she would have to discuss with Thranduil in the very near future.

Thranduil.

The image returned. Images of him striding confidently. Images of him walking so smoothly, it was as if he was made of liquid. Images of his long hair flowing around him as he moved. Having observed him moving and walked alongside him, she knew first-hand how smooth and fluid his strides were, how he carried himself with a kind of elegant grace despite his impressive height.

Kai blinked and shook her head. This was the same man who had cried in her arms only a few hours previously, who had shown a private side to someone who was almost a stranger. The sex symbol and the man were definitely kept worlds apart, which she took to be a blessing. Dealing with a rich brat who threw hissy fits and demanded servants wouldn’t sit too well with her, as she had zero patience for anyone who expected priority over her patients. Thranduil however, came across as being very down-to-earth, and genuinely in touch with his feelings. She didn’t expect any problems from him in the times when she would have to negotiate with him over Jack’s future.

The only problem would be keeping professional thoughts in her head, instead of fantasies of dancing with him and doing all sorts of unmentionables.

She ground the cigarette out in the plant pot reserved for such use, and went back inside, determined to leave her dirty thoughts outside.

*****

Biting back a grin, Kai dropped her head and pretended to be engrossed in the report in front of her.

“Don’t you dare laugh!” Robbie spat, appearing in front of her. “You can have a go next time!”

She looked up at him, and burst out laughing at the six feet ball of rage who stood before her. He had vegetable soup dripping from the right side of his hair, down his shoulder and splashed across his uniform.

“Quit it!” he snapped.

That only made her laugh harder. “Oh my God, I’m sorry Robs, you look so bloody funny!” she howled, her eyes filling with tears of laughter.

“Hey man, what’s happenin’?” Tony asked, coming along the hallway. “Oooo...somebody had a fight with lunch,” he observed.

“Ten out of ten for your attention to detail!” Robbie hissed, and stormed off to get cleaned up.

Tony looked at Kai, and laughed with her. “Oops.”

She shook her head. “He’ll be ok. Hurt pride, more than anything. Annie’s not playing ball right now, and he’s taken the brunt of it.”

He sat on the edge of the coffee table, folding his arms. “She wasn’t too friendly on the back shift last night either,” he told her. “She was talking about having to be at work on time, and having to make sure her brother was ready for work. Quite hostile, too.”

Her brows came down in a frown, and she put her pen down. “Why didn’t you mention that at handover?” she asked.

He shrugged. “She was just a bit confused.”

She stared at him, and he turned pink. “I want a urine sample, as soon as you can, so I can test her for a UTI. You know the signs, Tony. You should’ve done it last night if you thought she was confused beyond her usual state. You dropped the ball.”

“Sorry,” he said. “It was hectic last night-“

“I don’t care if you had a bunch of hippos doing backflips down the corridors,” she interrupted. “Get me that sample.”

“Will do,” he said, and slid off the table.

She glared after him as he went in the direction of Annie’s room, frustrated. Tony was an experienced enough carer that she shouldn’t have to think for him. She slammed the folder closed and went through to the duty room.

“You ok?” Tasha asked, looking up from her writing.

Kai glanced at her as she tossed the patient file back into the filing cabinet. “Yeah. Just distracted.”

“Anything I can do?” the young carer queried.

She smiled. “No, it’s fine,” she replied. She ran a hand through her hair and rubbed the aching muscles in the back of her neck. “Any info yet on the new admission?”

Tasha shook her head. “Alex said he was going to call the hospital, try to find out what time she’s arriving. He wants to make sure the discharge papers come this time.”

Kai laughed and shook her head as she sat down at the desk. “Victoria’s admission was pandemonium,” she recalled. “No change of clothes, no paperwork, no medication, no details at all.”

“It’s ridiculous,” the carer agreed, scribbling her signature onto her report and sliding it back into the plastic protective sleeve. “You’d think in the age of computers, everything would be so much easier.”

“Nothing’s ever straightforward. If anything, I think computers have made things worse,” she acknowledged. “People rely on the electronic side of things to the point they forget to hit the send key or something. Pure laziness.” She turned towards the door as it opened, presenting a still pissed-off Robbie.

“That was so not funny, Kai,” he told her, freshly cleaned up and in a new uniform.

She pulled her lips in. “You didn’t see it from the other side,” she pointed out, trying not to grin. “You looked like a walking lunch menu.”

Tasha snorted in the corner, drawing a glare from Robbie. She slid past him and exited the room.

“Now you’ve got everybody laughing,” he pouted.

“Oh grow up for Chrissakes,” Kai said. “It was a bit of fun, that’s all. Stop taking things so personal. There’s no room for that in this job.”

He mumbled under his breath, dropping his weight onto one of the empty seats. “I need to fill out an incident form.”

“Listen, muppet-head. You were having a lazy lie-in last week on your day off, and I was in here being covered from head to toe in shite,” she told him, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “Annie had used the bedpan, and I moved it aside to do personal care. She reached across and flipped it over, tipping crap all down me. So get a sense of humour and deal with it.”

His jaw dropped. “Seriously?? Eww...bet you stunk the place out.”

She tapped her foot. “Watch it, Buster. I’m going for a coffee and a smoke, if anybody’s looking for me.” She stood up and left the office, heading down towards the staff kitchen area to prepare her coffee.

Her cell phone pinged as she finished making it, and she lifted it out of her pocket as she stirred the sugar in.

_Hi Kai. Charlie’s funeral has been scheduled for Friday, twelve noon at Oakland Cemetery,_ Thranduil’s message read. _I hope you know you’re more than welcome to attend._

She dropped the spoon into the sink as she typed rapidly with one hand. _That’s fine. I’ll arrange for cover so I can take an hour or so off work. If it’s alright I might bring Robbie with me. He’ll be good support, and he’s Jack’s allocated case worker._

_No problem,_ the reply pinged through. _Everything going alright at work?_

She grinned. _Apart from Robs wearing someone’s lunch as his latest look, yes. You having a good day?_

_Try a looooong day!_

_Lol. Have a good one,_ she replied, and slid the cell back into her pocket as she went outside. She sat on the low brick wall and lit a cigarette, realising she was smoking more instead of keeping to her plan to quit.

Her thoughts drifted to the funeral, and again she wondered about keeping Jack in a state of blissful ignorance. Inhaling deeply on the cigarette, she leaned her head back and stared up at the blue sky above her. She gazed upwards for a few minutes, enjoying the peace and solitude.

The decision regarding informing Jack rested with Thranduil, and she had no influence over it. Accepting that, she flicked the cigarette away and went back inside.


	8. Chapter 8

** CHAPTER EIGHT **

****

Kai pulled the door closed behind her as she left the staff area and headed back along the hallway towards the duty room.

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Heading towards her, side by side, were Thranduil and Bard.

She swallowed, her stomach turning somersaults as her gaze met ice blue eyes, and he offered her a small smile.

“Hi, guys,” she said, making a strenuous effort to pull herself together.

“Good afternoon,” Bard greeted her. “How’s things?” They came to a stop a few feet in front of her.

She nodded. “Shift’s going well, can’t complain,” she replied. “Are you here to see Jack?”

“Yes,” Thranduil said.

His deep voice sent ripples up her back.

“I’ve decided not to tell him about Charlie,” he said. “All things considered, given what you’ve told me regarding his condition, I think it would be cruel to tell him. With him unable to retain information, it would be heartless to have to keep reminding him and putting him through that.”

“I’m glad that’s what you’ve decided,” she told him. “We’d have gone with whatever you chose, but honestly – I really think you’re making the right decision. For Jack’s sake.”

He nodded, just a slight forward tip of his head. “Yes. I would not wish to put him through anything so traumatic at his age. It just wouldn’t seem right.”

“What do we say if he asks for him?” Bard asked.

“Distract him,” she replied immediately. “Change the subject, after tactfully answering him. If he asks if you’ve seen him, just tell him no, not today, and move onto something else. Old movies, classic cars, Gina Lollobrigida – you’ll have him eating out of your palm in no time. Just don’t mention Vietnam, whatever you do. He’ll flip out.”

“That sounds do-able,” Thranduil acknowledged.

She smiled. “You’ll be amazed at how the conversation will flow,” she told the two of them. “He can talk the hind legs off a donkey. Probably an elephant as well, come to think of it.”

Bard chuckled as she turned and they followed her towards Jack’s room.

“He’s in good stead today, so you shouldn’t have any problems,” she said over her shoulder.

Thranduil’s gaze wandered slowly downwards as she walked, taking in the sway of her long ponytail, the curve of her hips, the slight wiggle of her ass as she moved.

“He’s a lovely guy,” she continued, unaware of his perusal behind her. “His short-term memory’s shot to pieces, so he’ll assume that if you’re here to see him, he must know you in some capacity. Here we go.” Knocking gently on a door with number fourteen on it, she opened it and peered round. “Hey Jack! You’ve got visitors!”

“I have? Bring them in, my love, bring them in!” a voice said from inside the room.

She pushed the door further open, beckoning over her shoulder for the two to follow her. “Jack, this is Thranduil and Bard,” she introduced them. “They’ve come to see how you are, and have a coffee with you.”

“Come in, boys, have a seat!” the elderly man said, enthusiasm in his voice. “Good Lord, you are tall, young man!”

Thranduil smiled as he stepped forward and shook Jack’s hand. “It’s good to see you Sir,” he said. “How are you?”

“I’m wonderful,” he replied. His light blue eyes were sparkling.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Kai said. “D’you want coffee now, or shall I send some through in a while?”

“We’re good just now,” Bard answered.

“Ok. Just call me if you need anything,” she said, and left the room. She closed the door behind her and leaned forwards, still holding on to the door handle, her head down.

“What are you up to?” Robbie demanded, appearing out of nowhere and giving her the fright of her life.

“Holy shit!” she hissed, her heart pounding as she moved away from the door. “Where did you spring from, you nutter? I’m not up to anything.”

“Ha,” he snorted. “You’re blushing. From your toes upwards. You’re up to something, and I want in on it.”

“I’m not up to anything, goddammit,” she grunted, moving past him and making a sharp right turn back into the staff area. Inside, she leaned her hands on the worktop, taking several deep breaths.

“Spill it,” he demanded, appearing at her side and standing with his arms folded.

“Thranduil’s here,” she said.

His face changed. “Ooo…this I _must_ see,” he said. “Where is the long-haired hunk?”

“Stay away from him,” she warned. “He’s here with his friend; they’re visiting Jack. Leave them alone.”

“Protective much,” he murmered with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

“Shut up. This is time he needs with him.”

“There’s an empty bed in room nineteen, if you wanna grab him and try it out,” he suggested, trying to keep his laughter in.

“Fuck off,” she snapped, banging a cup onto the worktop and making another coffee to settle her stomach. “You’re pissing me right off.”

He chuckled to himself as he prepared a cup of tea.

Beside him, Kai slammed the coffee jar down and smacked the spoon onto the worktop. His ability to see through her was annoying. Once her coffee was ready, she picked it up and went outside, knowing he would follow.

“Listen Flower, there’s nothing wrong with eyeing somebody up,” he said, lighting two cigarettes and handing one to her. “You’re human. You’re female. You like what you see.”

“It’s not professional,” she replied, taking the cigarette. “He wouldn’t be too happy if he knew what was going through my head.”

“Dirty?”

She grinned wickedly. “Filthy.”

“Good!” he said in approval. “You’ve been single for too long. It’s time someone caught your eye.”

“Ha – single is what I’m staying,” she told him. “There’s no chance of anything happening there. He’s one of the most successful, richest guys in the solar system, for Chrissakes.”

“Maybe. But he fucks like everyone else,” Robbie informed her, making her laugh.

“Oh my God, you are so damned crude,” she said. “Look at him! I bet there’s a list with a million women’s names on, all just waiting for a chance to roll around with him, so get your ridiculous notions out of your napper.”

“And who says they have any more chance than you do?” he demanded with a frown.

“It’s just...oh never mind. You don’t get it,” she sighed, waving him off. “Just trust me.”

“You’re full of shit,” he told her, grinning at her responding glare. “Just because you’re not filthy rich doesn’t mean you don’t have the same chance as everybody else. Pussy is pussy, no matter which way you look at it, money or not.”

“Oh bloody hell,” she winced, wrinkling her nose. “You’re disgusting.”

“Maybe. But honest,” he acknowledged. “When’s this dementia course starting?”

“Uh...not for another two weeks,” she replied, a little dazed at the speed with which he changed direction in the conversation. “The wound dressing one is next Thursday, so don’t forget. I’ll put a memo up on the board in the break room.”

“I’m sure you’ll keep telling me,” Robbie said, finishing his cigarette and stubbing it out. “You’re like a regular bloodhound with these things.”

“That’s because you’d forget your way home,” she said dryly, following suit. “I don’t know how the hell you manage to dress yourself in the mornings all by yourself.”

“I don’t. I sleep in my clothes,” he quipped, and they laughed as they headed back into the unit.

*****

Jack’s eyes sparkled as he talked, his wrinkled hands waving around in gesticulation. Bard nodded and added to the conversation, but Thranduil was in observation mode. The older man had taken to Bard straight away, and was reminiscing about his time with a car production company in his previous life. So like Charlie to look at, Thranduil had a heavy sadness in his heart.

It should be his son sitting here with them. Instead he was lying in a casket waiting to be buried.

As the memory of standing next to the casket came to mind, his thoughts drifted to Kai. She’d held good on her promise, comforted him, and helped him through an experience he hoped he’d never have to go through again. Obviously seasoned to what they’d done, she’d still showed her emotions and cried as though she’d lost a good friend.

This surprised him.

Most professionals he’d come across had gone all bleary-eyed, woozy-headed, and had made not-so-subtle attempts to get into his underwear. Professionalism had been heaved straight out of the nearest window whenever members of the opposite sex had set eyes on him, making him even more sure that the human race was out to tie themselves to his success. Or his money. Or both.

Kai hadn’t batted an eyelid. He thought she’d seemed a little startled when he’d introduced himself in his library, but any reaction had been quickly hidden as her focus for being there had taken over. She hadn’t shown any signs of being affected by who he was, staying true to her profession and coming across as cool and collected.

This left him intrigued.

She either wasn’t interested him and what he did, or she was a master at masquerading.

With deep blue eyes outlined with black eyeliner giving her a cat-like appearance, she’d taken a comfortable spot in his mind and stayed there. Numerous times since they’d met, he found himself thinking about her; replaying her laugh in his mind, the way she pursed her lips when she was listening intently to something, her sparkly blue toenails. The shapely curve of her backside. The length of her long legs. The feel of her in his arms as he’d hugged her.

Shaking his head to clear it, he stood up. “I’m going to ask for some coffee,” he said. “Would you guys like anything?”

“I’d like some tea, please,” Jack piped up, his eyes damp with tears of laughter as he and Bard had shared a joke.

Thranduil had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he’d missed it completely.

“I’m fine, Thrand,” Bard replied.

He nodded, and left the room. Closing the door behind him with a soft click, he leaned back against it and closed his eyes.

His eyes shot open again as all hell broke loose.

Screams echoed along the hallway. Staff ran past him from all directions in a blind panic. The otherwise peaceful unit seemed to turn itself inside out in chaos.

Somebody slammed their hand against the alarm on the wall at the far end of the corridor, and within seconds Kai bounded down the stairs three at a time. She tore past him, disappearing into a doorway next to the alarm.

Without thinking, he followed.

Staff were congregated in a huddle next to an armchair, panicking, yelling, and upset.

“We’re too late!” one of the carers shouted, visibly upset.

“She was alright five minutes ago!” another argued. “I came through with some cake for her, and she was ok!”

“Everybody back, give me some space,” Kai snapped. “Ed, give me a hand.”

The carer she’d addressed moved quickly, and before Thranduil knew it, they’d quickly slid an elderly lady onto the floor.

Kai pressed her ear to her chest, listening. She touched her fingers to the old lady’s neck. “Nothing,” she said, shaking her head. “Lucy, call 911. NOW!”

A young carer took off, barging past him as she fled the room.

Tipping the lady’s head back, she checked for visible signs of breathing, then opened her mouth to check for blockages.

“Everybody start clearing this room,” Kai commanded, locking her fingers together. She started doing rapid compressions on her patient’s chest.

The staff hurriedly helped other residents to their feet, escorting them from the day room.

“Cassie, get me the blood pressure monitor,” Alisha said, without breaking her rhythm. “The meds room keys are in my left pocket.”

Within seconds, the named carer had retrieved the keys from her left pocket in her uniform and disappeared.

The chest compressions stopped, and she changed position, pinching the lady’s nose and blowing twice, hard, into her mouth.

“Come on Marianne, breathe for me babe,” she muttered, resuming compressions.

Thranduil stood in a daze, unsure if he should be there or not, unsure if he could do anything. But he was rooted to the spot.

Several times Kai stopped the compressions to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, then going back to where she started. “Where’s the goddamned paramedics?” she yelled over her shoulder.

“Ten minutes out,” Lucy told her. “Traffic’s bad on the freeway.”

She didn’t answer.

Eventually she sat back on her heels, exhausted. “Ed, take over,” she said, and slid around him as he took her position. She stayed by the patient’s head, counting 30 compressions then holding up a hand to halt him so she could give her two breaths. “Keep going.”

Cassie returned, handing the blood pressure monitor over. Kai quickly fitted the cuff and donned the stethoscope, inflating the cuff and releasing the pressure. Her lips pursed as she studied the reading.

Shaking her head, she pulled the stethoscope from her ears, giving another two breaths as Ed paused.

A heavy silence filled the room, the staff on duty watching in silence as the two of them fought to save Marianne’s life. Nobody moved a muscle.

“Change over,” Kai said, as Ed began to slow with exertion. Again they switched places, with her resuming chest compressions. Sweat trickled down her back as she worked, but went unheeded. The only time she hesitated was to wipe sweat off her forehead with her shoulder, and that only used up a split second.

She froze completely as Marianne took a small breath, her eyes meeting her colleague’s. She sat still for a few seconds,

“A one-off,” she said. “Keep going.”

The minutes ticked past, until eventually the screeching of a siren announced the arrival of the paramedics. They bustled into the building, and someone showed them into the day room.

“Call it a day, guys,” one of them announced. “She has a DNR register live on file at the hospital.”

Kai ignored him.

“Miss, you have to let her go,” the other paramedic said, gently touching her shoulder.

She shrugged him off. “She doesn’t have a DNR,” she insisted. “We’d have a copy in her file if she had. She took a breath by herself.” The chest compressions continued.

“Miss, you’re violating her rights,” the first medic told her. “She doesn’t want any CPR.”

“Robbie, call the hospital,” she instructed over her shoulder, still not breaking rhythm. “Find out what the score is. I keep going until I get confirmation,” she said, turning her attention to the medics. “Two more, Ed.”

The medics exchanged glances, but stayed silent.

Within a few minutes, Robbie appeared behind her. “Let her go, Flower. They’re right.”

Thranduil felt the oxygen being sucked out of the room.

Silence filled the air.

Kai had stilled, but held her position, her hands interlocked on Marianne’s chest. The silence was deafening.

“Come on,” Robbie said softly, standing behind her and sliding his hands down her arms. He gently prised her hands apart, and pulled her away from her patient. She collapsed onto her rear on the floor, stunned. He sank down behind her on his knees, his arms still around her. They watched in a daze as the medics did the necessary check for vitals.

“We’ll transport her to the ER,” one of the medics told them, putting his instruments away. “The doctor will pronounce death.” He paused, then rubbed Kai’s shoulder. “You did your best.”

She didn’t reply, her gaze fixed on the body on the floor a few feet in front of her.

Robbie stood, bringing her to her feet. He kept his arm around her, tucking her body to his side as he guided her out of the day room, carers silently moving aside to let them pass. They disappeared into the duty room and closed the door, and Thranduil’s heart twisted in pain as he heard an anguished cry.

She’d fought with everything she had to bring the old lady back, and was devastated to have to give up on her. He couldn’t imagine how it would feel to have someone’s life in his hands, only to have to back away and let them die.

Finally realizing his feet could move, he left the doorway of the day room and went back towards Jack’s room, casting a glance in the window of the duty room as he passed. Kai was in Robbie’s arms, crying her heart out.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, he lowered his head, and kept walking. The urge to go to her and comfort her was useless; she had staff around her who worked through things like this on a daily basis. They would be able to take care of her better than he could.

Entering Jack’s room, he took a deep breath and mentally slid a mask over his features.

*****

Kai inhaled deeply on her cigarette, blowing a thick stream of smoke downwards and thinking that right now wasn’t a good time to quit. Her gaze drifted to the clouds that floated high above her, pure white against the bright blue of the sky.

The medics had long gone, taking Marianne’s lifeless body with them. The staff team remained in their sombre mood, the day’s events having flattened any spark they might have had beforehand. Necessary paperwork had been filled out, and everybody had drifted off to whatever they’d been doing, in an attempt to get through the remainder of the shift.

Kai inhaled deeply through her nose, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes. She was looking forward to going home, having a long shower and washing the horrible day away. She doubted even a two-hour shower would work, but the theory of washing away the memories and images she carried seemed like a positive start. Fresh pyjamas, something to eat, and a cuddle with Tigra would go a long way to making her feel a little bit better.

Flicking the butt deftly between two fingers, she hauled herself up and mentally prepared herself as she headed back into the unit.


	9. Chapter 9

** CHAPTER NINE **

****

Kai found herself wide awake and restless. Darkness had fallen over the city, but her mind was on overdrive. If she’d gotten Marianne breathing independently before the medics had arrived, she might have survived. If she’d been in the day room at the crucial point in time, maybe she would have been able to avert fate in another direction.

Knowing that arguing with herself was pointless, she got up and pulled on joggers and a hooded top. What had happened was over and done with. Maybe it had simply been the old lady’s time to go, and even divine intervention wouldn’t have changed the outcome.

Stuffing her cell phone in her pocket, she left her apartment and crossed the street towards the park. Maybe some fresh air would clear her head and give her the inner peace she needed to get some rest.

She walked for about twenty minutes, jumping in fright as her phone beeped. Curious, she tapped the screen to access the message.

 _Hi_ , Thranduil had written. _I am sorry I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye this afternoon. I do not want you to think I was being rude._

She smiled slightly. _Don’t worry about it,_ she typed back. _I had other things going on. How did it go with Jack?_

_It was fine. What are you doing still up and awake?_

_Out walking,_ she replied. _I need time to think and clear my head._

 _Where are you? Is it safe where you are at this time of night?_ He wanted to know.

 _Very safe,_ she typed. _Ormvale Park. It’s empty. Plenty of space to wander and think._

A few minutes ticked past.

 _Just stay safe,_ the incoming message pinged.

She smiled again, pocketing the phone. The park was safe enough, even in the middle of the night. It stretched for miles, like an oasis of peace in the middle of life in the fast lane. During the day it was scattered with skateboarders, roller-bladers, dog walkers, joggers, buskers, and a thousand different types of people going about their business. But at night it was a quiet place of refuge.

The miles disappeared beneath her sneakered feet as she continued walking. She found walking therapeutic, and often pounded through the park’s various walkways when she needed to put the world to rights.

She went through everything that was rolling around in her mind. Her situation at work. Her problematic sister with her non-stop emails and text messages. Her upcoming schedule for further training she’d organised for her team.

As she walked, a blazing set of headlights approaching snapped her out of her thoughts and blinding her. Squinting and putting her hand up to ward off the glare, a shiver of alarm shot through her.

“Kai?”

“Thranduil?” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”

She cautiously edged closer to the vehicle, to see his apologetic smile.

“I could not sleep either. I wondered if you might like some company. And some hot chocolate,” he said, holding a travel cup out of the window to her.

She grinned, taking the cup. “You’re crazy,” she decided. “It’s half past three in the morning.”

“Crazy, says the one who is out walking in the pitch dark in the middle of the night,” he replied drolly. “I couldn’t sleep either. I normally go out for a drive when I get like that.”

“Wouldn’t rehearsing scripts help tire you out?”

He shrugged, his features illuminated by the lights on the dashboard of the car. He shook his head. “That just hypes me up more.” He paused, gazing out of the front window into the darkness. “You can sit in and drink that, if you would like to.”

“Thanks...it’s getting colder now,” she said, and went around to the passenger side. The door opened for her as he leaned across and released it. “This is better,” she decided, sinking into the luxurious leather. The fact that all she could smell was his cologne had nothing whatsoever to do with her feeling better.

They sat comfortably in silence for a while, both of them lost in their thoughts as they sipped from travel cups.

“I saw what happened at your work while I was there,” he said eventually, his voice low. “I am so sorry.”

Her cheeks flamed, and she was grateful the darkness concealed her discomfort. “I’m sorry you had to see that,” she said. “Sometimes things don’t always work out the way we want them to.”

“I was kind of stuck,” he admitted. “I knew I should walk away, but yet I could not. I did not know if I could have, or should have, done anything. You guys seemed really organized.”

She mulled over his statement. “It must be like driving past a traffic accident,” she murmered. “You know it’s horrible and you shouldn’t stare, but you can’t look away either. Like you’re stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “I do not know how you do it, Kai.”

She turned her head to look at him, the lights from the dash reflecting in his eyes. She swallowed. “There are good times too,” she said. “And they make up for the bad times. Just getting through the bad times is hard sometimes.”

He blinked, not breaking her gaze. “I wish I could help,” he said softly.

She smiled. “You went to see Jack. You’re doing what Charlie knew you would do. That’s more help than anyone can ask for,” she told him. “I popped in to see him before I finished my shift. He was talking about you guys being there. He thinks you work for him.”

Thranduil laughed, shaking his head as he looked away from her. Even in the darkness, she was too hypnotic. “He is a lovely, charming man,” he said. “I could see where Charlie inherited his mannerisms, his way with words. It is not difficult to connect father and son.”

“They’re very much alike in nature,” she agreed, relishing the taste of the chocolate drink. “I never met his mother so I don’t know how many of her characteristics he inherited, but he definitely had a lot of Jack’s. He had his sense of humour too.”

“I remember trying to get in the car one time, and he kept moving it forwards a little, making me walk to catch up, then moving forwards again,” he recalled. She could almost feel his grin in the darkness as he spoke. “The pain in the arse kept it going for about twenty yards.”

She chuckled, imagining the frustration at him trying to get into a moving car. “Yeah, Robbie from work does that to me all the time.”

His grin faded.

“I think I definitely will bring him to Charlie’s funeral, if that’s ok,” she said, unaware of his change of demeanour. “He’d be good support, and it would signal respect from the unit if a couple of us attended.”

“Yes, that is fine,” he replied. He took a drink of his chocolate.

“You’ll like him,” she went on. “He’s a lovely guy, and so, so good with the patients. He has a way with him. He could charm the birds out of the trees.”

 _I bet,_ he thought. _Mr Fucking Wonderful._ “The funeral is coming closer and closer, and so fast,” he murmered.

She inhaled slowly, acknowledging to herself that it would be a difficult occasion for all who attended. “We’ll be there,” she promised. “Both to pay our respects, and as support if you need it.”

He swallowed. “Thankyou. I can send a car for you.”

“No, that’s fine,” she told him. “Robbie drives. We’ll use his car.”

A heavy eyebrow arched in the darkness. “It’s up to you.”

Draining the last of her chocolate, she handed the cup back to him. “Thankyou for that. I feel a bit better now.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Are you heading home now?”

“Yeah, I suppose I should,” she said on a soft sigh.

“Do up your seat belt,” he instructed. “I will take you.”

“Thranduil! It’s roughly five miles away,” she protested. “I walked here, I can walk back.”

He snorted softly, starting the engine. “I will not hear of it. Any woman who spends time in my company gets home safe,” he informed her, turning the almost-silent vehicle around. “Especially in the middle of the night.”

Red-hot images of him tangled up in bed sheets in the throes of passion flashed into mind. Images of him with his mouth open, eyes closed in ecstasy. Those plump, soft lips millimetres away from his lover’s. His long blond hair wrapped around his bed-mate.

She coughed, giving herself a mental smack around the head. “Well thankyou...again,” she said, instead of voicing the thoughts going on inside her mind. Her dirty mind. Maybe Robbie was right. Maybe she did spend too much time in the gutter.

The drive didn’t take long, and before she knew it, they were pulling up outside her house.

“Do you often walk there alone, in the middle of the night?” he asked curiously.

She swallowed, mentally booting more x-rated images from her brain. “Sometimes. It seems to help, when things are getting on top of me, particularly work-wise,” she replied.

Ice blue eyes blinked, illuminated by the street lights. Unbeknown to her, pornographic images were firing across his mind, sparked to life by her choice of words.

“Well, I hope you can get some sleep now,” he said, looking away from her.

She smiled. “I hope so, and I hope you can.”

 _Haaa!_ his sex-drive screamed at him. _No chance!_ “I will certainly try,” he said. “Good night, Kai.”

“Good night...and thanks for the chocolate. And the company.” She exited the car with a grin, closing the door and bounding up the drive to her front door.

Thranduil watched her go, lifting his fingers from the steering wheel in return to the wave she gave as she disappeared. This woman was buried deep under his skin, and it irritated him. He had worked with some of the world’s most beautiful women over the course of his career, and had done for years, but there was nothing. No burning desire, no throbbing erections that screamed for release. Not even any fluttering of butterflies.

Zilch.

Yet Kai had come into his life and within ten minutes she had burned her presence in his soul. And his crotch. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he swept the car around and headed for home.

*****

Save one solitary text message, Kai heard nothing from Thranduil for the next two days. She shrugged it off, knowing he would be preparing himself for what was to follow.

“You’re not supposed to look sexy for a funeral, Flower,” Robbie said, standing behind her and trying to fix his hair in the mirror before them.

“I don’t,” she said, looking down at herself self-consciously. “It’s all black, it’s conservative.”

He leaned his chin on her shoulder, hooked a finger in the neckline of her top and pulled it forward. “If I wasn’t gay, I’d be right in there,” he told her, snapping the neckline back into place as she slapped his hand.

“Pervert,” she muttered. “It’s not that bad. Do I need to change?”

He grinned. “No. I think you look quite fetching. Professional, and a touch seductive too.”

“Fuck sake...I’m not trying to look seductive!” she wailed, and started yanking the top off.

“Calm down, you look great,” he said, wrestling with her to keep the top on. “It’s not your fault you have great boobs.”

“Are you sure you’re gay?” she exclaimed. “I’m beginning to wonder about you, you big arse!”

He sat on the edge of the bath and folded his arms. “Kai, I’ve seen you in all sorts of states of undress, and you have a fucking amazing body. If I wasn’t gay, you’d know it, trust me.”

She blushed, going back to applying her mascara. “I think there’s a left-handed compliment in there somewhere,” she murmered, concentrating on the task. She recapped the makeup, set it down and studied her reflection. “Maybe it’s cut too low.”

“Oh shut up,” he scoffed. “There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“You brought it up,” she huffed, taking a last swig from her coffee cup. “C’mon. Let’s get this over and done with.”

*****

The Gods had blessed them with a beautiful day for the service, the sky bright and clear and the sun a pleasing depth of warmth. Kai was thankful for this, as she found the heat unbearable sometimes. Stiff from the drive to the graveside, she wriggled in her chair and stretched her legs.

“Any sign of the Blonde Adonis?” Robbie whispered, earning an elbow in the ribs. “Ow!”

“Will you stop calling him names!” she hissed. “No. He’s not here yet.”

The seats were gradually filling, everybody looking immaculate in dark suits and dresses. Glancing down at herself, she wondered if she’d chosen the right outfit. Her black pants were stylishly cut, and her black wraparound top hugged her curves, coming into a V between her breasts.

“Stop comparing yourself,” her companion said. “You look fine. Relax.”

“I was fine until you opened your pie-hole,” she muttered in response. “Now you’ve got me paranoid.”

“You could wear a trash bag honey, and still look great. You’ve just got that kind of figure, and there’s no point in trying to hide it all the time,” he replied, biting his thumb nail.

She slapped his hand. “That’s disgusting.” She jumped as a hand lightly touched her shoulder.

“Hi. Thanks for coming,” a soft voice said, and she turned in her chair to look up into Thranduil’s ice blue eyes.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” she said. “This is Robbie. Robbie, this is Thranduil,” she went on, introducing the two and wondering how much of the conversation he’d overheard.

They shook hands.

“Robbie works with me at the unit. He knew Charlie quite well, and he’s Jack’s lead support carer.”

Thranduil nodded. “How is Jack?” he asked.

She bit her bottom lip, the movement not going unnoticed. “Blissfully unaware,” she said. “One of the guys is taking him out in his wheelchair this afternoon. They’re going out for something to eat, a change of scenery.”

Dragging his gaze away from her mouth, he nodded. “He might enjoy being out in the sunshine,” he said. “Are you uh...planning on saying anything at the service?”

She shook her head. “No. I wouldn’t feel comfortable. We’re just here to pay our respects.”

He nodded, and she found herself getting lost in his eyes. “It will be starting soon. There is a gathering at Charlie’s place afterwards, you know, food and such like. You are both more than welcome to come along.”

She glanced at Robbie. “Thanks, but we’ll probably just show face and have a coffee or something, then head off. I had to get cover for us to be here today,” she said.

He nodded, a subtle gesture. “You know you are welcome if you change your mind,” he told her. He couldn’t for the life of him draw his gaze away. Her blue eyes were shadowed with a powdery blue eyeshadow and outlined along the upper lid with black eyeliner. She wore enough makeup to look respectable, but not too much to look out of place. With a deep sigh, he looked over towards the groups of people gathered next to the casket. “I will catch up with you guys later.”

“Will do. Stay strong,” she added, and her heart missed a beat as he winked at her over his shoulder as he walked away. “Holy fuck,” she murmered to herself.

“I heard that,” Robbie said.

“You would. You can hear the grass growing, unless somebody calls you to do something,” she grumbled. “Now I’m getting too hot.” She fanned herself as she spoke.

“That’s your hormones,” he smirked. “Tell them to behave.”

“I wish you’d bloody well behave,” she retorted, her voice low so nobody else could hear the exchange. “This isn’t the time or the place.”

“Tell that to your drenched underwear,” he shot back, a grin lighting up his face.

“I’m not sitting next to you if you don’t stop it,” she threatened. “For Chrissakes...have some respect.”

The service began shortly, and Kai relaxed as she listened to the preacher. Various mourners stood and said a few words, Bard being one of them, and Thranduil’s agent, Thorin. Several times she caught Thranduil’s gaze, the sadness in his eyes breaking her heart. Fighting the urge to go to him for a reason unknown to humanity, she concentrated on what was being said. Her emotions finally took hold, and silent tears started to fall.

Beside her, Robbie took her hand in his and squeezed it, without even looking at her. She squeezed back, grateful he was there for support.

Thranduil watched the silent exchange between the two. The unspoken words of comfort, the supporting presence, the sharing of quiet grief. He swallowed, looking away as jealousy coursed through him. He was struggling too, and wanted to hold her hand.

At last the service concluded, with Charlie’s casket being lowered carefully into the ground. Bard stepped forwards and dropped a handful of dirt, and Kai took a deep breath. Robbie put his arm around her shoulder, and pressed a kiss to her temple.

Again Thranduil looked away.

*****

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so out of place in my life,” she said.

Robbie raised his eyes and looked at Kai, concern in his gaze. “You’re fine,” he reassured her. “You’ve held up really well.”

“I just don’t belong here,” she muttered, looking around. Millions of dollars paraded themselves around, in the shape of clothing, jewellery, and human presence. “I can’t wait to get back to work.”

“Me neither. We should probably give it another ten minutes or so, then clear off,” he agreed. “I don’t know what coffee this is, but it’s amazing.”

“It’s a Colombian brand,” one of Thranduil’s security guards said as he stopped behind Robbie to pick a sandwich from a table. Bard had introduced him earlier as Bofur. “I don’t know which one; the caterers supplied it.”

“It’s great,” Robbie said. “I don’t normally drink much coffee, but I’d have a shedload of this if I could get it.”

“They’ve done a good job,” Bofur said. “The food is beautifully prepared. Charlie would like this.”

Kai smiled sadly. “He would.”

“How’s his father?” he questioned.

“He’s doing alright. He doesn’t know about Charlie,” she said.

He nodded. “Bard told me about his condition. Poor soul. It’s a difficult job you guys do. It must be hard.”

“Rewarding though,” she said.

A smile touched his features. “Thranduil has been talking about how committed you are. It’s just a shame there aren’t more people like that. It might make the world a better place.”

“All we can do is change the little bit of the world we have,” Robbie said philosophically. “And hope the bit next to us improves as well.”

“Yeah,” he said, his smile widening. “Anyway, I’ll catch up with you guys later. Have a good day.”

“Thankyou. You too,” Kai said.

“Ooo,” Robbie murmered as the guard disappeared.

She scowled at him. “I’m going to use the restroom, then we should probably get back,” she said, setting her cup down. “Don’t drool too much while I’m gone.”

He snorted softly in response as she walked away.

Once inside the restroom, she used the amenities and washed her hands. Taking a deep breath to settle her churning stomach, she quickly ran her hands through her hair. She’d straightened her hip-length hair, and the soft tresses bounced down her back. She quickly wiped under her eyes, in case any makeup had smudged, and turned to leave.

“Oh...I didn’t know there was anyone in here. You must be the carer,” a woman said as she pushed through the doorway.

Kai stopped, mentally sizing her up. The woman stood at almost her height, although she teetered in high heels. Expertly applied makeup adorned her face, giving her a flawless appearance. Her clothes were expensive, and spoke of limitless money. Diamonds glittered at the woman’s throat, reflecting light onto the glass of wine she held.

“Yes,” she replied. “I look after Charlie’s father.”

The newcomer swept her gaze to Kai’s feet and back up, settling on her face. “You don’t look very much like a nurse,” she observed.

“I wouldn’t, not at a funeral,” she said. Within a split second of setting eyes on her, she knew this woman was toxic.

A well-tended eyebrow arched. “Charlie didn’t leave anything, you know,” she said.

Kai’s eyebrows rose. “I’m sorry?”

“His estate. He didn’t leave anything,” she repeated, as though she was retarded. “I wouldn’t expect anything in his will.”

Kai folded her arms. “I don’t. I’m here out of respect, and to represent his father, and the care unit.”

The woman laughed humourlessly, taking a drink from her glass. “This isn’t your world, honey. Not by a long shot. I’m surprised you were even allowed to attend. You have no place here. Surely you should be wiping asses somewhere..?”

Fury boiled in Kai’s blood. “Well maybe one day you might need my services,” she shot back. “Because I sincerely doubt you could wipe your own.” She barged past, shouldering her aside and storming out. An indignant squeal followed her as the woman staggered on her heels. Marching over to Robbie, she grabbed her purse. “Come on. It’s time we weren’t here.”

Dumping his cup on the window ledge, he jumped to his feet and followed her as she took off for the door. “Don’t you have to say something to Thranduil? Uh, like tell him we’re leaving?!”

“I don’t have to say anything to anybody,” she snapped. “Just let’s get out of here.”

Her heels clicked rapidly on the pathway as she pounded towards the car. He unlocked it just as she yanked on the handle, and she slammed the door once seated inside.

“Jesus Christ, what happened in there?” he asked, climbing in and starting the engine.

“Fuck all,” she spat, and sat in silence as he pulled away.

*****

Thranduil glanced over just in time to see Kai storming away from the washroom area, a look of thunder on her face. He watched as she marched over to her companion, spoke a few words and marched away again, with him quickly following.

He looked at Bard in confusion, but judging by his surprised look, he didn’t know what had happened either. Starting towards the door, he went to follow her, but was stopped by one of the actors he’d worked alongside previously. Shaking him off after answering his mundane question, he pushed through people and got to the exit. By the time he got outside, the BMW was roaring off down the drive.

Confused, he watched the black vehicle brake at the gates then turn left onto the road. He had no idea what had transpired to break Kai’s mood. She’d seemed amicable during the service, yet a few minutes ago looked as though she was ready to tear somebody’s head off. This needed looking into.


	10. Chapter 10

** CHAPTER TEN **

****

Kai was furious.

The anger was still bubbling and festering in her bloodstream by the time the end of her shift came around. Having relieved her replacement and taken over the running of the shift, she’d immersed herself in the mountains of paperwork that were waiting to be archived. Confident that her team were at the top of their game, she tried to lose herself and her anger as she spent the next two hours filing, sorting, shredding old documents past their legal store date, and archiving the remainder.

Her fury hadn’t dissipated.

Slamming the door to the archive store closed and locking it, she pocketed the keys and stomped back downstairs to the main floor.

How dare that horrible woman speak to her like she was scum? What difference did it make whether she wiped somebody’s backside or held their hand as they were dying? The idiot had probably never had to take responsibility in her entire life, and had no right to look down her nose at those she considered to be beneath her. Kai took her job seriously, and demanded the same of those around her. She refused to have any member on her team who gave a half-hearted commitment, demanding a hundred percent at all times or nothing at all.

Robbie dropped her off after work, the drive mostly silent as they left the unit. He attempted to make conversation several times, to be met with non-committal grunts in response, so he gave up after a while. She obviously didn’t want to be drawn into a conversation of any description, so he let it go and concentrated on driving instead, ever aware of the quietly seething mass beside him.

Across on the other side of the city, Thranduil wasn’t faring much better. He played the gracious host to the crowd who had gathered to pay their final respects to Charlie, but his heart wasn’t in it. The feeling that they were there solely to be seen and make their presence known tugged insistently at his mind as he circulated, and he couldn’t shake it off.

“How are you holding up?” Thorin asked, approaching him and handing him a bottle of beer.

He shrugged, making a face. “I’m coping,” he replied, taking a hearty swig. “To be honest, I can’t wait to go back to my own place, have a bath and get today out of my hair.”

“What happened to Jack’s carer?” his agent enquired, looking around. “She was here a while ago, but I haven’t seen her recently.”

“She had to go back to work,” Thranduil answered. “Somebody covered her and her colleague so they could be here today, and I think she was wanting to get back to let them go.”

“Ah.” Thorin nodded in understanding. “Something going on between you two?”

“What?” Icy blue eyes glared at him.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m only asking,” he defended himself. “I saw the looks between you both. I’m not blind.”

“Stop playing Cupid,” the blonde snapped. “Why is it that every single person wants to hook me up with someone? Goddammit…the rumour mill would shut down and disintegrate if I actually met someone and settled down.”

Thorin chuckled. “You’re protesting a little too much, my friend,” he said as he tipped his bottle towards him. “I see things. I watch people, it’s what I do. It’s amazing what you can learn by just sitting back silently observing.”

“Who’s observing what?” Bard asked, appearing behind him and making him jump a little.

“Nobody,” Thranduil said.

“There you are,” a syrupy-sweet voice coo’d.

All three men turned to find Olivia, his co-star. She was dressed like a runway model, plain black, but absolutely reeking of designer expense. A cloud of strong perfume wafted around her.

“Olivia,” Thorin said politely.

She ignored him. “We’re all a little worried about you, Thranduil,” she said. Her large eyes gazed up into his, the picture of sheer innocence.

He knew better. “There is nothing to concern yourselves over,” he replied. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“It’s a tough time for everyone, particularly you as you and Charlie were so close,” she said. “You know I’m here if you need to talk.”

He looked away, inhaling deeply. “Thankyou, but I’ll be fine with the friends I have,” he said.

Something flashed across her eyes, but was gone in a split second. “Well the offer is there if you need it,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to make my excuses and leave, as I have an early start on set tomorrow. I’ll see you there?”

He nodded, saying nothing.

Bard and Thorin watched the two with interest.

“Until tomorrow,” she said, and walked away.

Bard raised his eyebrows and whistled softly. “Man…she’s not taking no for an answer, is she?”

“I can have a word with Otis if you want,” Thorin said, his concerned gaze on Thranduil, who shook his head.

“There is no point,” he answered. “We only have another few months of shooting, and the movie will be over. We’ve already done far too much to re-cast someone, either in her role or mine.”

“And then the fun starts, with all the red-carpet nonsense,” his agent shot back. “Nip this in the bud _now,_ Thranduil. I’m not getting good vibes from her. She reminds me of a viper.”

He grunted in reply, taking another mouthful of beer. “How much longer do you think they’ll hang around here?”

“Probably until the food runs out,” Bard said. “But if you need to split, just go. I can handle things here. Dwalin and Bofur are here; we’ll manage.”

“I think I may just do that,” he murmered, his gaze distant. He snapped back to the present, with something else on his mind. “Ok, I’m heading off. Please give everyone my apologies, and make up some excuse for me. There really is somewhere else I have to be.”

His two friends murmered their goodbyes as he walked away, the crowds parting to let him through. Exchanging glances, Bard shrugged and decided to help himself to another beer.

*****

Kai turned away from the lounge window, rejecting the idea of going for a walk to clear her head. The heavens had opened with a vengeance, and the resulting torrential downpour was enough to put her off. She kicked a cushion up from the floor and grabbed it mid-air, tossing it back onto the couch.

Padding through to the kitchen in her bare feet, she sighed in frustration as she switched the kettle on and banged the coffee jar onto the worktop.

The woman she’d encountered at Charlie’s send-off was still grating on her nerves.

Her head flipped round as a loud pounding hammered against her door. Frowning, she crossed back through to the hallway and opened it.

Thranduil stood in the lashing rain, soaked from the short walk from his car to the doorway. Water poured down his jacket, and his hair was dripping.

“What on earth are you doing out in this weather?” she exclaimed, moving aside and ushering him in. “Are you mad?”

“I think I must be,” he said as he stepped past her.

“Good God, you’ll get pneumonia or something,” she said as she closed the door. “Take your jacket off. I’ll stick it in the drier. Jesus – you must be insane.”

He smirked as he shrugged out of the jacket and handed it to her. She turned away from the broad shoulders presented to her and went back towards the kitchen and turned the drier on.

“Here,” she said, handing him a soft towel. “Coffee? I’m making one.”

“Please,” he replied, vigorously drying his long hair. “I didn’t think it was going to rain like this,” he added in a mutter.

“Me neither. I was going to go for a walk, but the weather decided for me,” she said over her shoulder, desperately wishing she was the towel in his large hands. A second mug was added next to her own and she spooned coffee into it. “Is Charlie’s do over already?”

“I had to get out of there,” he replied. “I’ve done what I could for him, but I couldn’t stand it any longer.”

She quickly made the coffee, handing it to him and he followed her back through to the lounge, lowering his tall frame down onto one of the couches. He still wore the clothes he’d worn to the funeral, his tie loosened and the top few buttons of his shirt undone, giving her a tantalising view of his throat and upper chest.

Her sex drive went bonkers.

He cleared his throat, turning the cup in his hands. “What happened at Charlie’s house today?” he asked, his eyes meeting hers.

“Uh...we held a service and buried him,” she replied.

He arched an eyebrow, no amusement in his eyes. “You were upset about something. I followed you, but you had already left.”

“I had to get back to work,” she said. “I told you – I had to arrange cover for me and Robbie to attend today.”

Full lips pursed. “That is not what I meant.”

She looked away from him and his mesmerising mouth, tucking her feet underneath her on the couch.

“What happened? You were angry.”

Dark blue eyes met his, angry fire flashing in the depths. “I had the misfortune of being put in my place,” she retorted.

His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. “Please explain.”

“I went to use the bathroom and some fucking… _bimbo…_ took the opportunity to tell me that I basically had no right being there,” she said. “She told me that I was wasting my time because he hadn’t left anything in his will, and that I should be wiping arses somewhere.”

His eyes changed, taking on a murderous look. “Who was she?” he wanted to know.

She shrugged, sipping her coffee. “Damned if I know. I refuse to share the same air space as bastards like that.”

“Tell me what she looked like,” he insisted.

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” she said. “It’s over. What was said, was said. I did what I went there to do, which was to pay my respects to Charlie and support you. That’s it. End of story. Anything else is irrelevant.”

“No it is not, not if it upset you that much,” he contradicted. “I want to know who it was.”

“I told you I don’t know. Just let it go.”

He shook his head slowly, his ice blue eyes burning into her soul. “I am not tolerating someone upsetting one of my friends,” he said. “And you have been a good friend to me in a time of need. Now tell me who it was.”

She sighed in exasperation. “You’re like a dog with a goddamned bone,” she said. “Some trumped-up bimbo who was half drunk. Blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, perfect makeup. _Happy_?” The last word came out loaded with sarcasm.

His brows came down in a deep frown, melting her insides. “No. I am not. I know exactly who that is,” he said, deep in thought. “And I will sort it out.”

“Don’t waste your time,” she muttered. “She made me feel like shit, Thranduil, talking down her nose at me and belittling what I do. I can’t be around people like that, I just can’t.”

His nostrils flared in anger. “I am so sorry, Kai,” he said. “She had _no_ right to speak to you like that. I’ll see her in the morning, and I will be having a word with her.”

She lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “I couldn’t care less,” she said.

“Liar,” he said softly, a smile lurking at the corners of his mouth. “You looked like you were about to take someone’s head off.”

“She’s lucky I didn’t,” she said, after a pause. “If it had been under different circumstances I would’ve taken a bite out of her. But today was for Charlie.”

“Thankyou for that,” he said softly. His eyes lifted from his cup to meet hers. “Olivia can be a twisted bitch when the notion takes her. Unfortunately, I’m lumbered with her as my co-star in my latest project.”

She snorted. “It could be worse. You could be lumbered with her for life.”

He glared at her, although not in a venomous way. “I would never associate myself with someone like her,” he replied. “She has no respect for other people, and twists things every way she can to get what she wants. I’ve done physical work from time to time; she’s never done a day’s manual work in her life.”

“I kind of got that impression,” Kai replied, taking a drink of her coffee. The rain continued to pound against the window. “I told her she might need my services one day, as she couldn’t wipe her own ass. People like that really get to me. They forget it’s people like me who take care of the old relatives they no longer have time for.”

A grin tugged at his mouth and he gave in to it, shaking his head as he lowered it. “I wish I’d been there,” he laughed. “I can only imagine her face.”

“She’s lucky she has a face left,” she shot back. Tigra padded over and jumped up onto her lap, and her gaze lowered to him as she rubbed behind his ears. He tipped his head back and purred loudly. “She said I didn’t fit in.”

_Oh you fit_ , he thought, wishing he was the cat on her lap. _And I really want to fit inside you_. “Don’t pay any attention,” he said, clearing his throat. “That was the alcohol and her horrible personality talking. I was glad you were there.”

She lifted her gaze from Tigra and met his eyes. Her heart missed a beat, and time stopped. Ice blue eyes held hers, and she felt like she was being drawn into them.

Seconds ticked past, her heart thumping into a hap-hazard rhythm. She’d never seen eyes like his, ever. Large, expressive, and the most unusual shade of blue in the world.  Eyes that sheltered a thousand different thoughts, framed with thick lashes.

His nostrils flared.

“Well, I’m glad today is over,” she said, swinging her feet back to the floor. Tigra grumbled in annoyance at being moved. “Now I have another funeral I really should attend, but I might send someone in my place. Two in a few days is a bit much.”

Thranduil sipped his coffee. “The old lady from your work?”

She nodded. “Yeah. Poor Marianne.”

He gave a slight nod, almost a sympathetic gesture.

“The unit manager has been in touch with the health authority and complained about her DNR not being transferred over to us,” she said. “Apparently her daughter had signed it two weeks ago, but the hospital neglected to notify us. Put us at cross-purposes when it came down to the crunch.”

“A very difficult situation,” he acknowledged. “Does anyone have any excuses?”

She snorted. “Lack of resources, lack of time, lack of common sense...take your pick. Everybody’s passing the buck to the next person, and nobody’s got the balls to take responsibility. It’s not the first time, and won’t be the last.”

“I am sorry,” he murmered. “I know how hard you fought to bring her back.”

Unexpected tears welled in her eyes. “Sometimes I think I’m too soft for the job.”

He studied her. Again, she felt like he was inside her soul. “I would think that it is better to have someone who cares too much, as opposed to not caring enough,” he said softly.

She sniffed, clearing her emotions as she continued to stroke Tigra under his ear as he sat at her feet. “Maybe. I guess if you ever reach a time when you don’t get attached to the patients, it’s time to look for another job.”

He watched her fingers as she stroked the cat’s fur. “So...what do I need to know or do about Jack now that everything is over?” he asked, dragging his mind away from images of her stroking him.

“Set aside an hour or so when you can come into the unit,” she replied. “As you’re legally responsible for him now, you have access to his file and his records. Any information we hold on him is now open to you. You’re now the point of contact any time we have to update anything, like medication or whatever, or make any arrangements concerning him. Until you decide where you want him to be on a permanent basis, anyway.”

His eyes left the cat and shot back up to hers. “I have already told you this. He will be staying where he is,” he said firmly. “He is settled, comfortable, safe, and has the best care there is. I trust the decision Charlie made when he chose to put him in your care.”

“But you haven’t been through his paperwork, his care file, or anything,” she said with a slight frown.

“I do not have to,” he replied, taking a mouthful of coffee. “I have seen and heard enough to know that the care you provide is more than enough for him. My decision has been made.”

“Thankyou,” she said quietly. “We do our best.”

“I know you all do,” he told her. “I can come by next week sometime. When would suit you?” he asked, emptying his cup and setting it down. Tigra stretched and decided to pad over to him, climbing onto his knee.

“I’m off on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday,” she said, insanely jealous of the cat. “Other than that, I’m on duty all week, twelve-hour shifts. I’ve no appointments booked as far as I remember, so I can go with whatever suits you.”

_Hours of mind-blowing sex, and one orgasm after another_ , he thought. “I’ll come along and see Jack, maybe leave Bard with him for a while and go over the details with you. Maybe he could take him out or something.”

She smiled. “He’d love that. He used to spend a lot of time working in his garden, and still remembers that. He loves being outside.” 

Thranduil lifted Tigra from his lap and settled him onto his paws on the floor, then stood up. “I will call before I come in,” he said, as she stood.

“I’ll check the dryer,” she said, and stepped past him to go through to the kitchen. The aroma of his cologne filled her senses, flipping her hormones into backflips. She took his coat from the machine and took it back to him. “It’s not bone dry, but it’s not as soaked as it was.”

“Thankyou,” he replied, slipping it on. They walked over to the door, and he turned to face her. “Do not ever let anybody bring you down, or bring down what you do,” he told her.

She gave a small smile and shook her head. “I won’t.”

He dropped his head and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. “Take care, Kai.”

With that, he was gone.

She closed the door and leaned against it, closing her eyes. Her emotions and her libido were all over the place, and she knew she had no control. _I’m getting in too_ _deep,_ she thought. _I’m falling too hard, too fast._

With a sigh, she peeled herself from the door and went through to her bedroom to get settled for the night.

*****

“What d’ya think?”

Robbie held up a red lace bustier, demanding Kai’s opinion.

“It wouldn’t fit you,” she shot back, flipping through the hangers. “Get out of the women’s underwear section.”

“Duh,” he grunted. “You need new stuff.”

She paused in her searching, planting both hands on her hips. “What’s the matter with you, dammit. You’re on a bloody mission, you mad-man.”

He peered at her over a pale blue bra and knicker set. “You have to dress to impress,” he explained. “And judging by the underwear hanging up to dry in your bathroom, you’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“You’re going to get a smack round the ear,” she said in exasperation. “There’s nothing wrong with my damned underwear, and you shouldn’t be perving over it.”

“I’m not. I’m assessing the situation,” he responded.

“It’s you that needs assessed,” she grunted. “What d’you think about this?” She held up a black and silver sparkly top.

“Nice,” he commented.

“At eighty bucks I should hope so,” she muttered, hanging it back on the rail. “I can’t find anything that grabs me.”

“Except the Towering Sexbomb,” he grinned.

“I give up,” she huffed, heading towards the men’s clothing. “Get your hairy arse over here; you need some more joggers and stuff.”

He bounded over, and set about raking through the rails. “So...how are things progressing with the SuperStud?” he asked, flashing her a cheeky smirk.

She ignored it. “They aren’t,” she replied, picking out two pairs of grey joggers. “Go try these on.”

He stretched the waistband before holding them against himself to check the leg length. “They’ll fit. Why not? You guys seem to have a spark between you,” he said. “Chase it.”

She sighed softly, leaning against the rail. “I feel like there’s definitely something there Robs, but maybe it’s my imagination,” she said. “Maybe it’s just wishful thinking.”

He frowned. “I don’t think so. He showed up in the park in the middle of the night, showed up at your apartment...doesn’t that tell you anything, Flower?”

“That he’s lonely?”

“That he wants to get laid,” he corrected. “Guy’s got a serious hard-on.”

“Is that all you ever think about? Sex?” she asked incredulously. “Jesus Christ...”

“Mmm, no...I think of other stuff too, but not often,” he replied, folding the joggers over one arm while he flipped through the hooded sweatshirts. “Seriously Kai, I honestly think he’s got a thing for you.”

“In our wildest imaginations,” she said wistfully. “Damn, he’s stunning in real life.”

Robbie grinned as he continued flipping hangers to one side. “I know.”

She laughed. “So you’ve been checking him out?” she teased. “I knew it!”

“I’ve had a look, but he’s not my type,” he told her, pulling out a dark burgundy hoodie with a university logo on it. “Like?”

She nodded, taking it from him and checking the quality of the garment. “He’s definitely my type. Pity I’m not his.”

“Crap. You’re too hard on yourself. He’s a human being – we’ve been through this before.”

“Yeah, yeah...pussy is pussy...I remember,” she said dryly. “It’s just not going to happen, I know it. I’m better off just admiring him for the person he is, and keeping it at that.”

Serious eyes met and held hers. “Don’t give up before it’s even started,” he advised her. “I get a good feeling from him. I think he’s really interested in you.”

“Are you guys needing any assistance?” a sales clerk asked, appearing at Kai’s elbow and breaking the connection between the two.

“Yes, we’re done here,” Robbie answered, handing him the clothing he’d chosen.

“Great. Follow me please,” the clerk chirped, and led them over to pay for the items.

Kai trailed behind, mulling over what her best friend had said.


	11. Chapter 11

** CHAPTER ELEVEN **

****

Thranduil looked up sharply as Olivia’s voice drifted over, the sound grating on his nerves and he hadn’t even set eyes on her. He rose from the chair he’d been sitting on having his makeup done, and strode across the room.

“I would like a word,” he said, staring down his nose at the woman.

She turned away from her assistant, a smile spreading over her face. “Thranduil! How are you, honey?”

He gripped her elbow, steering her away towards a quiet corner. “What did you think you were doing yesterday?” he demanded, whirling her around to face him.

She blinked. “In what aspect? I came and paid my respects to Charlie. What’s wrong with that?”

“Don’t act innocent, Olivia,” he hissed. “You went out of your way to insult a friend of mine, and I do not like that. She was upset, and so now I am also. What the hell were you thinking?!”

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said. “What happened?”

His icy glare bored into her. “You know _exactly_ what I’m talking about.”

She laughed. “Oh honey…does she have the hots for you? Is she jealous because of our close connection? That’s to be expected, Thranduil. A lot of women can’t cope with other actresses; it’s perfectly normal.”

He leaned down so he was inches from her. “No, she does _not,_ ” he spat. “And she is not jealous. She has been a dear friend to me, and I will _not_ tolerate how you spoke to her. You were out of order, and had no business confronting her with lies and poison like that. You owe her an apology.”

“I think you’ll find that I’m the one who’s owed an apology,” she said, a trace of steel in her voice. “I have no idea what she’s told you, but I didn’t say anything to upset her. We have a long history of working together, and if you choose to believe a nurse-maid over someone you’ve known for over a year, that’s up to you.”

“For someone who claims to be innocent, you seem to have no trouble knowing the person I’m referring to. Don’t talk down about what she does,” he warned. “And stay away from her.” He swept past her, leaving the stunned actress seething with anger.

*****

Lucy let out a boisterous laugh and slid a glass of wine across the table. “Not even you would do that!” she howled, wiping tears away.

“Wanna bet?” Kai challenged, swiping the glass and taking a drink.

“She would,” Robbie said, picking at the logo on the coaster. “She’s fucking mental enough to do anything for a laugh.”

“You’re just jealous because you were born old,” she shot back. “I have a sense of fun, and you don’t.”

“I have sense, full stop,” he retorted, slapping the coaster back onto the table.

“Where the hell’s Cassie?” Lucy demanded, whipping round in her seat.

“The last I saw her, she was making eyes at the barman,” Kai said. “And Tasha was getting cosy with Tony.”

“Won’t that cause a problem for work?” Ed questioned with a puzzled frown over the top of his beer bottle.

“What they do is up to them,” she answered. “But if it spills over into work, then I’ll jump on their heads so fast, they’ll think an elephant has landed on ‘em.” She took a healthy gulp of her wine.

“You’re not an elephant, Flower,” Robbie said with a sly grin. “A hippo maybe, but not an elephant.”

“I’ll knock you fucking out,” she warned, ignoring Lucy’s hysterical giggles.

He turned to her. “Please promise me that you won’t end up like her,” he pleaded.

“I’m promising nothing,” she slurred. “That way you can’t hold it against me at a later date. Ain’t nobody got nothing on me.”

Kai frowned as she peered at her glass of wine. “Double negative,” she decided. “One cancels the other out.”

“Who are you, the goddamned grammar police?” she demanded with a laugh. “Oh my God woman – do you _ever_ switch off?!”

“Nope,” she sniggered, emptying the glass.

“Switch off what?” Tasha demanded, reappearing with Tony in tow.

“Her sex drive,” Robbie retorted. “She’s got the hots for Thranduil.”

“You bastard!” Kai gasped in mock horror. “You absolute _bastard_!”

Those gathered around the table screeched with laughter and hilarity, drawing them a few glares from the bar staff.

“Sshhh! We’re going to be thrown out,” Lucy whispered dramatically. “Have you, Kai?”

“No!” she said.

“Yes!” Robbie replied at the same time.

“Fuck-head,” she muttered.

“I think you’d make an amazing couple,” Cassie announced, coming back from the bar and throwing herself down into a seat. “You’d look great together. Go for it.”

“I’m not going for anything, dammit,” she hissed. “Robbie, you’re first on the call list for the next _ten fucking years_ any time somebody chucks a sickie.”

A chorus of laughter circulated the group again.

“Do you like him?” Lucy demanded, slamming her glass down and leaning towards her Senior.

“Yes she does,” Robbie answered for her immediately. “She wants to get down and dirty and pull on that amazing long hair of his.”

Her face went scarlet as the laughter reached a howling level. “Shut the hell up, y’all!”

“Well?” Lucy pushed. “Do you?!”

“There’s nothing, honestly,” she said, taking another glass of wine as Ed pushed it towards her. “Cheers, Ed. He’s just a friend, but holy shitttt…he’s as _hot_ as hell!”

Wolf-whistles and hollers echoed from the group, causing the staff to glare in their direction again.

“Have you kissed him yet?” Cassie wanted to know.

“What’s he like in bed?” Tasha demanded eagerly.

“Oh my God you lot – no, and fuck knows!” she laughed. “It’s not gonna happen, trust me. Not gonna happen.”

“Yeah right,” Lucy grunted, accidentally knocking over Tony’s beer bottle. “Oops. Was that empty?”

“It is now,” he grunted, opening another. “Kai, I think you should make a move on the guy. Let him know that you like him. Send him some signals.”

“No,” she groaned. “He’s not interested!”

“I beg to differ. I think he is,” Robbie said, glancing sideways at her as he drank his beer. “I just think that maybe he’s just too shy to make the first move.”

“Grab the bull by the horns,” Tony advised. “Or the actor by the hair. Or the stallion by the nuts, or the-“

“Ok, ok! Enough! Freakin’ perverts, the lot of you,” she spat. “You should be ashamed of yourselves. He’s a human being, not a bloody piece of meat.”

Silence fell over the table.

“A piece of prime steak you wouldn’t mind getting your teeth into,” Cassie murmered, and a wave of giggles rippled around.

“Ask him out, Kai,” Lucy said, her eyes serious.

“No.”

“What have you got to lose?”

“Uh…my pride?” she suggested. The wine glass wobbled slightly as she sat it back onto the table. “No. I’m not asking him out. It’s a professional relationship, and a friendship. Nothing more. I seriously doubt there ever will be.”

Ed snorted. “Whenever this guy comes in to see Jack, everybody disappear,” he decided with a determined nod. “That way, only Kai gets to deal with him. The more they see of each other, the higher the chances are of something sparking off and happening. Just name your firstborn after me. You’re welcome.”

“You’re off your rocker. I’m not naming _any_ kid of mine after you,” she scowled. “And let’s face it, guys – you can’t all vanish every time he goes to the unit. It’s not professional. We take care of Jack and the others as a team, not just one person. That wouldn’t look good, and he’d suss it out before long anyway.”

Tasha nodded slowly as she absorbed Kai’s words through a blur of alcohol. “Yeah…I get where you are with that,” she admitted. “But we can still nudge you two in the right direction. Remember there’s an empty bed in room nineteen…”

“Oh for fuck sake – not you as well! Are you two in cahoots with each other?!” Her elbow jabbed in Robbie’s direction, who spluttered into his beer and started choking with laughter.

Cassie started banging the table and Kai’s face heated as everybody started laughing and yelling.

“Sshh!” she hissed furiously. “Christ, the staff in here are going to throw us out. They’re getting all antsy over there.”

“You do all the personal stuff with Thranduil when he comes in,” Tony reiterated, his bottle hitting the table with a thump. “It’s settled.”

“Do _not_ encourage her to do personal stuff with him in our place of work!” Robbie roared. “I don’t want to go into the duty room and find them in there giving it yeeha and having hunka-chunka, for fuck sake…” He slapped the table for emphasis. “That’s the stuff of goddamned nightmares.”

Kai shook her head as she tried to contain her laughter. “No hunky-bunky,” she agreed.

“How often is he planning on being around?” Ed enquired. “Tony, give me another bottle, please.”

She shrugged, gazing at her almost empty glass as though it was a crystal ball with all the answers. “I don’t know. He’ll be around whenever he’s around.”

“Preferably naked, from your point of view,” Lucy chuckled.

“Alright, I’m outta here,” she decided, downing the remainder of her wine. The glass banged down and she wobbled as she rose to her feet.

“I’m not sure I can walk,” Tasha announced. She turned to Tony and grinned. “Carry me?”

He returned her grin, his gaze sweeping up and down her body appreciatively.

“Looks like you’re not the only horny one around here,” Robbie observed in a whisper as he stood up. “Everybody’s hormones are on the rampage.”

“I’ll share a cab with you guys, if that’s alright,” Lucy said.

“Of course it is,” Kai replied. “Oo…dizzy. Right – don’t anybody call me before tomorrow afternoon…imma sleep this shit off.”

“I won’t even see daylight tomorrow,” Robbie said dryly. “I plan on staying in bed the whole day and being a lazy pig.”

“Not much changes then,” she quipped with a giggle. “Ok guys, see y’all on Wednesday. Have a good one.” Leaning on Robbie’s arm, she walked alongside him in an unsteady pace as they left the bar, with Lucy trailing somewhere behind them.

*****

Thranduil’s mind was elsewhere as he slowly peeled his clothing from his body, dropping each item on the floor at his feet. His head lifted and he held a hand under the running water, making sure the temperature was comfortable.

Stepping under the shower spray, he closed his eyes and stood for a few minutes, letting the hot water cascade down him to pool at his feet before draining away.

Kai was on his mind.

Dark blue eyes lined with black eyeliner floated to the front of his imagination. Thick lashes blinked as she laughed. He could almost hear her contagious laughter, could almost smell the blueberry lotion she used. His hands itched to free her long hair from the ponytail she kept it in for work, to loosen the silky strands and run his fingers through them.

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the cool tiled wall, breathing evenly.

He couldn’t get her out of his mind.

What was it about her that captivated him so intensely? She wasn’t movie-star gorgeous, although he thought she was beautiful in her own right. She wasn’t rich, she didn’t have a list of Hollywood A-listers as friends.

She had something different. Something he hadn’t seen before, but he didn’t know what it was. 

The water poured down his back and trickled down his thighs and calves.

Was it the thrill of the chase? She didn’t seem too interested in what he did, didn’t appear star-struck in any shape or form, even though she’d vigorously defended his work on the movie forum. Would he tire of her if he caught her, if she gave in to him?

He doubted it.

She was addictive, like a drug. Intoxicating. Alluring. Tempting.

He picked up a bottle of shampoo and squirted some onto his palm, lathering it into his hair and finger-combing it through the lengths. His imagination wandered, and in his mind, it was Kai who stood behind him, running her fingers through his hair. Her naked body pressed against his back. Her soft breasts pushed against his solid muscle.

His groin hardened instantly, and he groaned.

He seemed to be carrying around a permanent hard-on lately, and it was all her doing. Any time he thought of her, his nether regions perked awake. The hooded top she’d worn the night he’d picked her up in the park had been zipped to only half way, displaying a tight vest top with an ample cleavage. Her joggers had been sculpted to the cheeks of her backside, the soft fabric clinging to her thighs like a second skin.

He leaned his head back and moaned softly as he wrapped his fingers around his erection, squeezing, imagining it was her touch.

*****

Lucy looked up from writing in the communication book as Kai entered the duty room. “Adam’s called in sick for tonight,” she told her.

“Oh you are joking,” she said in dismay. “I don’t know if we can get any cover...Teresa’s on annual leave. I don’t think there’s any more seniors available.” She groaned, dropping her weight onto a chair and grabbing the staff telephone directory and the scheduled duty rota. She shook her head in defeat as she flipped from one to the other. “I can’t do it if I’m here all day today and tomorrow morning. Suzy can’t as she’s back shift tomorrow, and Bruce is away until Monday.”

Lucy chewed her lip. “What about the hospital? It might be worth a try calling and seeing if they can spare one of the nurses,” she suggested.

“Hmm...maybe. I’ll have to run it past Alex first. I can’t see him pulling a night shift,” Kai said. She called her manager and then the hospital once he’d given his approval. After arranging for emergency cover, she put the phone down and yawned. “I wonder if I’ve got time for a quick coffee and a smoke before my meeting,” she wondered aloud.

Her colleague smiled. “Go on. I’ll get Ed to settle your VIP if he gets here before you get back. No female distraction.”

Kai laughed. “You’re listening to Robbie far too much,” she said.

“It doesn’t hurt to hope, Kai,” her friend told her. “There’s no reason why he wouldn’t like you. He’s in touch with you often enough.”

“Only because of Jack,” she reasoned as she stood up. “Otherwise, our paths would never have crossed.”

Lucy pointed a pile of paperwork at her. “You can’t mess with fate,” she said. “Once something’s written in the stars, you have no control. You can’t change destiny. Trust me – you guys were meant to meet each other. I’m not sure yet why, but I’m sure time will tell.”

“Either that, or Robbie will,” Kai said. “Ok...I’ll be back in five. Give me a yell if you need me.”

With that, she left the office and went to make her coffee. Sitting outside on the bench, she inhaled on her cigarette, trying to relax before the scheduled meeting. Thranduil was due in for an in-depth review of Jack’s needs, and to find out what would be expected of him. He’d requested the meeting with her, and she’d suggested Robbie sit in at some point. Being Jack’s lead support worker, his input would be invaluable. Plus having him around might settle her nerves a little.

The butterflies in her stomach were going nuts. She felt a little queasy, even though she’d put away a decent lunch. Taking a deep breath, she finished up and went back inside to wash her hands and freshen up.

By the time she got back through to the duty room, Thranduil was present and in deep conversation with Ed.

Kai smiled. Lucy was obviously taking her role as Cupid seriously.

“Hey,” she said as she went inside.

“Hi,” he responded with a grin.

“We’re just talking about Cat’s, and the music they play there,” Ed told her. The CatHouse was a nightclub a few miles away from the unit. “Thranduil was saying he goes there with the guys from his work sometimes.”

“I haven’t been there in months,” she said, lifting Jack’s file from the drawer. “I think the last time was before Christmas, and it wasn’t a particularly good night. Too rowdy.”

Ed cocked an eyebrow at her, which she ignored. If he spilled the beans in front of Thranduil about her head-butting a guy for grabbing her ass, she’d head-butt him as well. Some things he didn’t need to know.

“I haven’t been for a while either,” Thranduil said. “I’ve been really busy working, and just haven’t had the time.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you as a clubber,” she remarked.

He grinned. “I am not, as a rule. I like to keep ahead of what’s happening though, see what the trends are, that sort of thing.”

“Makes sense I suppose,” Ed observed. “Right, I’ll go and get some refreshments ready. Are you guys going upstairs to the review room?” He slid off the edge of the desk to his feet as he spoke.

Kai nodded, grabbing a notepad and sticking her pen through her ponytail. “Yeah. Come get me only if there’s something you really can’t handle,” she said.

“No probs,” her colleague said, and led the way out of the duty room. Kai and Thranduil followed, with him holding the door open for her. She smiled at his manners, impressed.

Once they were settled into the review room, she tilted the blinds to block out the glaring sun, and took a seat next to him. She opened Jack’s file and began.

Starting off with a basic outline of Jack’s life before he went into care, she talked at length about his hobbies and interests, and what approaches they were taking to keep him mentally stimulated. Covering physiotherapy, she moved onto his medical issues.

“So he can’t walk at all?” Thranduil asked. He picked up one of the cups of coffee that Tony had appeared with a few minutes previously.

“Not really,” she replied. “He can stand, but needs two people to assist and support him. On bad days he can’t figure out how he’s supposed to stand, so we use a stand-aid.” At his look of puzzlement, she showed him a picture of the equipment and explained how it worked.

“This looks amazing,” he remarked, taking the sheet of paper and studying it.

“It’s a Godsend,” she replied. “For the patient and for the staff. It takes the pressure off the resident trying to stand, and it saves us breaking our backs. It’s actually against the law to physically lift someone in care.”

He looked at her, his eyebrows raised. “Really?”

She swallowed, his eyes throwing her off-track. “Yes. It can cause serious damage to the patient, like if you lift someone the wrong way you can cause a joint dislocation, skin shearing, bruising-“

“Skin what?” he interrupted.

“Shearing,” she repeated with a smile. “Give me your hand.”

He held his hand out, and she turned it so that his palm was facing downwards. Placing a finger firmly on the back of his hand, she moved it about an inch.

“See how your skin is moving, without your limb moving? Imagine trying to reposition somebody in their seat, and that happens to the skin on their back as you slide them. The skin would move more than what I’m doing to you, and the damage under the skin would be excessively painful.” She withdrew her hands, picking up her coffee and taking a drink.

“I did not know that,” he murmered, studying his hand where she’d held it and touched it.

“It’s really surprising just how easy it can be to injure someone,” she told him. “The most well-meaning person can cause so much damage without meaning to if they don’t know how we’re trained.”

“You said Jack spends a lot of time in bed,” he said, his eyes meeting hers once more. “How would you move him if he was uncomfortable?”

“A slide sheet,” she replied immediately, and explained what it was and how it worked. “They’re another really simple invention that’s so valuable to everybody,” she finished off. “Just a simple, silky fabric sheet that causes no pain to the patient.”

He smiled, shaking his head in wonder. “There is so much more to your line of work that people would think,” he said.

“I guess the same could be said about any job,” she said. “But yeah...and what pisses me off is when people think all we do is clean up shit and vomit. They don’t know that somebody in here goes into a rage if they hear a certain type of music because her ex-husband liked that music and he cheated on her, or that someone else won’t wear anything red because it makes him remember an accident where he lost a lot of blood and almost died. Little things like that are so important, and it’s things like that which we really need to know. That’s why the life history section of the patient’s file is so, so important.”

“What makes Jack tic?” he asked.

“Any mention of Vietnam,” Robbie answered as he entered the room. “Hi, Thranduil.”

“Hi,” he replied. “Why, what happened to him?” He directed his question to Kai.

“He and his twin brother were stationed together,” she replied. “Both were badly injured, and his brother didn’t make it. It’s not a subject we can ever bring up in front of him. That means monitoring what he wants to watch on TV, what books he reads.”

Thranduil carefully thought over her words. “So what do I have to do?” he asked eventually.

She met Robbie’s glance. “As much or as little as you want,” she replied.

“We have people here who get no family visits at all,” her colleague explained at his look. “They drop the resident off, and the only time we see them is review time, every six months. Even then it’s a nightmare trying to tie them down to coming in.”

Kai nodded sadly. “And then we get folks like Charlie, who put so much effort into keeping contact and doing what they can to help.”

Thranduil leaned back in his seat, folding his arms across his chest. “I do not have a lot of faith in human nature as it is. It seems like the further I go through life, the more that faith reduces.”

She shrugged. “You get to the stage where you don’t expect anything. That way you can’t be disappointed.”

He unfolded his arms and leaned them on the desk in front of them. “So how do I go about paying the fees?”

She didn’t like discussing fees with the clients’ families, preferring instead to leave that to Alex. “Usually monthly,” she replied, caught in a position where she had no choice but to deal with the subject. “You can pay by check, or through the bank.”

“As often as monthly? You cannot pay like twice a year, or something?” he asked.

“The option’s there, but the situation can change like that,” Robbie answered, snapping his fingers. “Patients can go downhill and pass away really fast.”

Thranduil nodded. “Ok, I will do whatever you think is best,” he decided, directing his words at Kai. “And I want to be involved...if that is alright with you guys.”

She smiled. “Of course it is,” she told him, completely ignoring Robbie wiggling his eyebrows suggestively behind Thranduil’s back. “We encourage involvement where we can, because it provides stimulus that we can’t provide. Like a stronger bond with friends and family, and contact with the outside world.”

He nodded. “How often does Jack go out? Where does he go?”

Robbie pulled a slim file forwards, opening it and flipping through glossy photographs. “He goes out in his wheelchair as often as we can manage,” he said, pointing to various pictures. “Sometimes we might not always have the staffing to do one-to-one activities, but we try. He goes out for group outings too, like out for a meal in a restaurant, or like last month, when we took seven or eight residents to the zoo.”

Thranduil’s gaze shot up from the documenting photos. “I have an idea,” he said, turning back to Kai. “Why don’t we arrange a day when he can come over to my place? There are lots of animals, and if he likes that kind of thing it would be a great activity for him.”

Her heart warmed. “That would be really nice,” she said. “But because of his condition, it’s probably advisable to have a carer with him. I realise that would infringe on your privacy, but he has medical needs that we need to take into account.”

“That’s fine,” he said, waving away her statement. “We can see how he reacts, and maybe plan ahead to bring a few other residents along another time, make it a complete day out for them.”

Robbie studied him thoughtfully. “I thought you focused more towards charities that helped animals and wildlife?” he said.

Thranduil smiled. “They are only one end of the spectrum. An important end, but still only one end. Who knows how long Jack will be with us? He should not be ignored and abandoned at the end of his life. Nobody should.”

“I wish more people thought like that,” Kai grunted. “Some people can’t shirk their responsibilities fast enough. We’re the only family some of these poor souls have.”

“Well now Jack has myself and my entire staff at his disposal. And the unit does too – anything you guys need, just let me know,” he said.

“Wow,” Robbie said in amazement. “Do you know how hard we have to fight sometimes, just to get hold of someone over a telephone, or to send a birthday card? Some people just wash their hands of all responsibilities as soon as they put someone in here. It’s like it’s up to us from then on, right through to the end.”

“That is sad, and just wrong,” Thranduil replied with a shake of his head. “That’s not going to be happening in Jack’s case, or anyone else’s if I can help it. If people cannot look out for one another, the world is not worth living in.”

“Sometimes I think it isn’t anyway,” Kai responded, standing and lifting the files from the desk.

 _I could give you a reason to think otherwise,_ the horny devil on his shoulder said. “I will get together with some of my people, and see what we can pull together,” he said, choosing to ignore the little demon doing backflips and suggesting wicked things in his ear. “I shall call you probably tomorrow, and see what we can arrange that fits in with the schedule here.”

“That would be great,” she said, with a genuine smile. “I think it’ll make such a difference to him.”

“And the weather’s really good for the next few weeks,” Robbie put in. “He’ll enjoy being out and about.”

Thranduil stood, pushing his chair back under the table. “How do you want to transport Jack? I can send a driver over if you like, and he can bring you both.”

Robbie grinned like a cat behind him, immediately cottoning on that the invitation had been extended with the assumption that it would be Kai doing the accompanying.

She glanced over his shoulder at Robbie, making a mental note to strangle him as soon as she got the chance. “It’s probably easier if we use the unit bus,” she said, bringing her gaze back to the God who stood before her. “It has wheelchair access, and would save unnecessary moving and handling.”

“That is fine. There is plenty of space to park,” Thranduil assured her. He held his hand out, which she shook. “I will call you tomorrow.”

After shaking Robbie’s hand, he departed and Ed, who had been passing, escorted him back downstairs.

Robbie turned to Kai, folding his arms and smirking.

“Shut your face,” she warned. “Don’t even go there.”

“Oh I’m already there,” he promised. “And girl, it’s diiiiirty down there!”

“So’s your goddamned mind,” she snapped. “It’s an outing for a resident, end of story. Speaking of which, I wonder whether I should drive the bus, or get you to do it, then come back and pick us up...” She trailed off, lost in thought.

“I see you picked up on his invite too. You should drive, that way if you need to come back early for any reason, it’s already there waiting,” he said.

She studied him. “It did sound like he meant for me to go along, didn’t it? I didn’t just imagine that?”

“Oh no, that was the gist of it. I don’t think he’d have been happy if you’d suggested somebody else go. He was angling for you,” he told her, holding the door open and ushering her through it.

She led the way down the wide staircase. “Am I overreacting, Robs?” she asked.

He stopped, throwing his arm across her shoulders. “No. He’s genuinely interested, trust me. I can read guys, I know when they’re focused on someone.”

“I can read guys too...most of the time,” she said. “I just think maybe this is wishful thinking.”

“Nah, you’ve nothing to worry about,” he told her as they descended the remaining stairs. “Play this right, and you might end up doing some seriously dirty dancing moves!”

She laughed, shoving him away as she went into the duty room.


	12. Chapter 12

** CHAPTER TWELVE **

****

Thranduil replaced the receiver, a smile of contentment on his face.

“You look like the cat who got the cream,” Bard observed with a grin.

“It’s all set for Monday,” he replied, leaning back against the desk. “Kai’s bringing Jack over for the day. Can you be around on the day?”

“Sure,” his partner replied. “Do you need me to go and pick them up?”

Thranduil shook his head. “No. She’s bringing the bus because it will be less physical exertion for him,” he said. “We can still go along though, come back with them. I really want this to be a good day...for both of them.”

“Relax - it will be,” he assured him. “It’s all being taken care of. What have you got planned for them?”

Thranduil inhaled deeply. “Well we know Jack liked working in his garden, so I’m thinking of getting some little flower pots and seeds, something for him to potter around with. And there are the animals; Kai said he really enjoyed visiting the zoo, so he might like them. It’s kind of a hit-and-miss really, until I get to know him a little better.”

Bard nodded. “There won’t be a shortage of faces around to keep him occupied,” he stated. “I’ll be here all day, once I pick my car up from the garage.”

“He seems quite fond of you already. Maybe you remind him of someone,” Thranduil observed.

Bard shrugged. “I just have that kinda face that appeals to people,” he grinned.

Thranduil snorted. “Ok, right,” he laughed. “I am looking forward to this.”

“I bet you are,” his friend said. “Any specific plans for your lady friend?”

Thranduil blushed. “She is not my lady friend,” he said, smiling with embarrassment. “She is a friend, that’s all. And she is coming in a professional capacity. She will be looking after Jack.”

“And you’ll be looking after her.”

He inhaled deeply. “She is hot.”

Bard threw his head back and laughed. “I bloody knew it!” he exclaimed. He looked directly at him. “So what are you going to do about it?”

Thranduil shrugged, the humour gone from his eyes and a serious look taking over. “Nothing.”

Bard raised an eyebrow. “That’s not very productive, Thrand. That’s not the kind of determination that makes million-dollar movies, sets the wheels in motion for major awards.”

“Kai is not a movie project, she’s a human being. A passing fantasy,” he said, looking away.

“Nothing wrong with chasing your fantasies, look where it got you,” Bard pointed out. “I take it there’s no significant other in the picture?”

Thranduil shook his head. “I do not think so. I was over at her house, and I did not see any signs of a man being there.”

“Well that’s positive,” he said. “Go for it. You are never going to know if you do not try.”

Thranduil pursed his mouth, watching him thoughtfully as he walked away.

*****

“You are _not_ wearing that piece of rag,” Robbie stated, lying across the bed on his stomach with his feet crossed. “I’d take that outside and burn it in a pagan ritual.”

“Up yours,” Kai scoffed. “I like it.”

“Show some flesh, woman!” he shouted. “You’re on the next best thing to a hot date, and you’re thinking of dressing like you’re in fucking mourning. I can’t believe you’re even considering going out in public in that thing.”

She tossed the top into the corner with a tut of disgust. “You’re no help at all.”

He rolled sideways off the bed, taking the quilt with him as he crashed ungraciously to the floor. “Move aside. Let me see what’s in there.”

She reluctantly stepped back, allowing him to raid her closet. Shaking her head at the muttered insults at her choice in clothing, she went through to the kitchen to make coffee. Halfway through, a triumphant yell made her turn around.

“This,” Robbie announced from the doorway, holding aloft a sleeveless red tunic top with glittery sparkles along the bottom hemline. “Thranduil looks like the kind of guy who likes to see a woman in sparkly things. This’ll grab his attention.”

She folded her arms, studying the garment. “It’s not bad,” she admitted. “I suppose with a pair of black trousers-“

“Uh no,” he interrupted. “Skin-tight jeans, if you don’t mind. Black trousers screams of work. Jeans put a different message across, and skin-tight ones go further with that message. Trust me.”

“Never trust someone who says ‘trust me’ – usually means they’re leading you up the wrong path,” she said. “And what do tight jeans say? Desperate.”

“Fuck off,” he snorted, planting his hands on his hips. “They’ll show off your arse and your legs.”

She rolled her eyes, going back to making the coffee. “I think he’ll have other things on his mind, somehow,” she said, almost to herself.

“Yeah, like how to get you out of the jeans,” he informed her. “Have you got your push-up bra handy, or is it in the laundry?”

“For Christ’s sake...is nothing sacred with you?!” she demanded. “I swear you come over here just to be nosey. Either that, or you’re a fucking cross-dresser looking for tips.”

“Listen dear, if I was a cross-dresser, I’d be doing it in style,” he gushed. “I wouldn’t have half the crap you’ve got in your wardrobe.”

“Remind me again why I’m friends with you,” she muttered, handing him a mug of coffee.

He grinned. “Because I have style and class.”

She humphed. “Definitely the red top then?”

He nodded, glancing at where he’d hung it up on the back of the door. “And heels.”

“Piss off. Not a chance,” she said. “Flip-flops, no negotiations.”

“Well at least give some attention to your toenails. You’ve had the blue on for about two weeks now.”

“You’re more of a woman than I am,” she laughed. “Ok, I’ll do my toenails. Anything else?”

He swept his gaze to her feet and back up again, taking her rhetorical question seriously. “Leave your hair curly.” At her frown, he explained. “It’s been straight every time he’s seen you. Curly is natural for you, and he’s not seen your hair like that yet.”

“I feel like a teenager again,” she said.

“But with the raging hormones of a grown woman,” he replied, winking.

Taking a drink from her mug, she had to admit he was right.

*****

The unit was in chaos.     

The new admission had arrived with the appropriate paperwork but no clothing or personal belongings.

One of the ladies was refusing personal care, and stating point blank she wasn’t getting out of bed if the planet was in fire. Not a problem under normal circumstances, but she’d been doubly incontinent and needed freshening up.

The day room was in uproar as an elderly gentleman had taken it upon himself to strip off and parade his wares in front of the entire population of residents. Tony was frantically chasing after him with his clothes, and not making a very good job of catching him.

Annie, who as Kai had previously thought, had tested positive for a urine infection and was on antibiotics. Unfortunately they didn’t seem to be having any effect, and once again Robbie was met with a bowlful of porridge straight in his face.

Cassie was trying to assist another gentleman, who was determined she was his wife, and was frantically moving his wandering hands from inappropriate places.

The cook was storming around in a temper, following Alex and demanding to know where the hell the fresh meat delivery was, as it hadn’t arrived.

One of the housekeeping staff was in the process of cleaning up a pool of vomit whilst trying to stop herself from being sick.

Kai shook her head in despair and folded her arms in impatience at being put on hold. The community support group didn’t have a clue where her new admission’s belongings were, and were passing her from one department to another.

“Bollocks to this,” she muttered, taking the phone from between her shoulder and her ear and slamming it down. “Fucking useless.”

Leaving the duty room, she held her arms out to stop the rampaging naked runner as he passed and grabbed him in a hug, allowing Tony to catch up. “Take him through to the washroom and get him dressed,” she ordered. “Robbie! Give up, and go get cleaned up,” she called, trying not to smile at the mess he was in.

She went over to the housekeeper, took a pair of plastic gloves from her trolley and gently pushed her aside, taking over the cleaning up of the vomit. Wondering how anyone could be a cleaner in a nursing unit with a weak stomach, she scooped up the offending mess and disinfected the floor. Taking off her gloves and disposing of them, she went through and washed her hands.

As she came out of the staff wash area, she stopped in her tracks as Thranduil’s towering form came into view, walking slowly along the carpet.

His gaze swept around, and stopped on Cassie and the patient she was fighting off. A small smile tipped up the corner of his mouth, and he walked over to them.

“Excuse me Sir,” he said, putting an arm around the carer’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, but this lovely lady is my wife. I guess she must look like your wife, but she is not. I’m sorry.”

The old man looked up at him, blinking behind his thick glasses. “Well accept my apologies,” he said. “I was so sure she was my Mary...she looks so like her!”

“Then all I can say is Mary must be beautiful too,” Thranduil replied with a wide smile.

“Oh she is,” the old man said, excitement sparkling in his eyes. “Did you know she used to do massage for sports injuries? She had a waiting list like nothing else, everybody wanted to go to her.”

Thranduil discreetly shooed Cassie away and squatted down, listening to him as he talked.

Kai smiled at the carer, who heaved a visible sigh of relief and went to give Tony a hand with his resident.

After a few moments, Thranduil left the old man after shaking his hand, and wandered through to the day room, which was still a bit boisterous. An elderly lady approached him, tears in her eyes.

Kai watched with interest.

“It was my birthday yesterday,” she told him, looking up at him as he stood much taller than her. “My husband didn’t come to visit. He always used to dance with me on my birthday. But he’s gone. I don’t know where he is.” The tears trickled down her weathered cheeks.

“I’d be honoured if you’d dance with me,” he said, holding his hands out.

Kai’s heart stopped.

The old lady took his hands, and he gently pulled her closer, wrapping one arm around her back as he held her other hand in his. He tucked her head against his chest and moved slowly from side to side. The woman’s eyes closed, and a smile appeared. The room fell silent, and the music from the radio could be heard. He closed his eyes as he lowered his head and gently leaned his cheek on the old lady’s hair.

The two of them swayed slowly, no rush, no hurry – just soothing comfort.

Kai’s eyes burned, and she swallowed the lump in her throat. This was a moving gesture on his part, something he’d taken on without being asked. He was in the unit to accompany Jack to his home, and yet had made time to help. Bringing that smile to his dance partner’s face was tugging at her heartstrings. She stood rooted to the floor, unable to move. The scene in front of her held her attention, and she didn’t think she’d be able to look away if the planets collided.

Eventually the song ended, and Thranduil slowly eased some space between himself and the old lady, smiling down at her as though she was the most precious being on earth. She reached up and framed his face with both hands, this time with tears of joy in her eyes.

“Thankyou, young man,” she said. “Thankyou so much.” She pulled his head down and kissed his cheek.

“My pleasure, ma’am,” he replied, kissing her cheek.

As she turned and walked away, he lifted his gaze to Kai.

She stopped breathing, shock hitting her with the force of a sledgehammer. She felt the blood leave her head.

This wasn’t a crush.

She was in love with him.

*****

Thranduil frowned slightly as Kai signalled five minutes, and turned away from him, going through the staff doors.

What had he done wrong? The look in her eyes was unreadable, and she’d turned almost white as they’d looked at each other. Something wasn’t right, but he wasn’t sure what it was to fix it. Not sure if she was angry at him or not, he decided to go along to Jack’s room to see if he was ready for his day out.

“Morning,” Lucy chirped, greeting him with a smile. “Does Kai know you’re here?”

“Um, yes,” he said with a nod. “She’s going to be a few minutes.”

“Well Jack’s really looking forward to today, aren’t you, honey?” she said, squatting down and gently wiping his face with a warm, wet cloth. “There we go. I know you enjoyed breakfast, but you can’t keep that for later.”

Thranduil went over and stood looking out of Jack’s bedroom window, his hands in his pockets.

“Are you alright?” Lucy asked, a slight frown marking her features.

“Yes, I’m fine,” he replied, flashing a smile over his shoulder. “Just a little distracted.”

“Yeah...I think you picked the wrong time to come in,” she replied, packing a few bits and pieces into a small holdall for Jack. “I could hear the uproar from here. I’m glad I had to tend to Jack instead of getting involved in all that!”

He turned away from the window. “It did seem a bit chaotic.”

“Mmm. I saw Kai down on her hands and knees cleaning up puke,” she said, shaking her head. “Sometimes I wonder what we have housekeeping staff for. Kai shouldn’t have to do that. But she does.” She folded a clean T-shirt, placing it in the holdall. “This is in case you spill something,” she told Jack. “She’s always mucking in and doing stuff that’s not part of her job,” she added to Thranduil. “But that’s just her. Always puts others first.”

“She is a good person,” he acknowledged.

Lucy nodded. “She is. She’s one of a kind. I just wish some other people here were as committed as she is. She and Robbie are so into what they do.”

He ignored the feeling of anger that washed through him at the mention of Robbie’s name, and stayed silent.

“Right, that’s you all ready,” she said to Jack, putting her fists on her hips and smiling at him. “Mind and behave yourself mister – don’t do anything I wouldn’t!”

Jack smiled back, and reached for her hand. “If Charlie comes while I’m out, please tell him I’ll be back soon,” he said.

She looked up at Thranduil, the heartbreak in his eyes reflecting her own. “I will,” she said, swallowing.

The bedroom door opened, and his breath caught in his throat. Kai stood there, having changed out of her tunic. She was dressed in a loose red top with glitter along the bottom, skin tight jeans, and glittery flip-flops. Her toenails were painted aqua green, with glitter sparkled in the polish. Her hair hung loose in long curls over her shoulders.

_Holy fuck_.

“Are we ready?” she said, grinning to Jack.

The old man smiled at her. “You look pretty today, Miss,” he said. “Doesn’t she?” He looked up at Thranduil.

“Beautiful,” he replied, not taking his eyes off her.

She swallowed, taking the holdall from Lucy and swinging it over one shoulder.

“I’ll carry it,” he said, holding his hand out.

“Ok,” she said, handing the bag over. His fingers brushed hers as he took it, burning her skin. She kicked the brake off Jack’s wheelchair and wheeled him out of the room as Lucy held the door open.

“Have a great time guys,” the carer said.

“Will do,” Kai replied, raising one eyebrow at her friend’s meaningful look. She led the way down the corridor, coming to a halt as Robbie came out of the duty room.

“Hi Thranduil,” he said. “I mean it Kai, if Annie throws food at me once more...”

“Calm down,” she said, rubbing his arm. “You’re none the worse for it. Get one of the girls to help her eat something, maybe she’ll respond differently to another face. And do me a favour? Get community support on the phone and find out where the new admission’s belongings are – they just passed me from one department to another and I didn’t have time to hang around.”

“I’ll get on it,” he promised. “You shouldn’t have been chasing them up anyway, not on your day off.”

Thranduil’s ears pricked up. This was her day off..?

She shrugged. “Anyway, I’ll leave it with you. Pick me up tomorrow morning?”

“As usual, honeybunch,” Robbie replied, kissing her cheek. “Enjoy yourselves. See ya, Thranduil.”

“Yes,” he answered, watching him as he walked away.

He turned his gaze to Kai, to find her studying him. “Shall we go?”

He held open the door, allowing her to pass through with the wheelchair. Blinking against the sunlight, she guided the chair towards the open rear doors of the bus.

“Here, let me,” he said, taking over and pushing the chair up the ramp. “Can you secure for me?”

She dropped to her knees beside him, securing the safety straps bolted to the floor around the wheels and applying the brakes. Making sure the chair was fastened safely and wouldn’t move during transit, she started to stand when she felt his hand under her elbow helping her to her feet. “Thanks,” she said, feeling flushed at being in such close proximity to him.

They exited the bus and she locked the doors. Thranduil went over to his car where the engine purred quietly, and she climbed into the driver’s seat of the bus.

*****

Thranduil smiled as he watched Bard. His friend was sitting in front of Jack, with a small table in between them, with various plant pots and cuttings. Small piles of soil were carefully being put into the pots, and Jack was in his element planting the cuttings.

“He seems to be enjoying himself,” he commented, turning his gaze to Kai.

Her mood had seemed to settle by the time they’d reached his home, and she seemed much more relaxed than she had at the unit.

She’d taken a step back, letting the day revolve around her patient, but being close enough that she was on hand if needed. “He does,” she agreed. “D’you mind if I take a photo or two of him for his activity file? I won’t get you, Bard, or anything that could be recognised in the picture, just Jack and what he’s doing.”

“Of course,” he said, surprised she’d had the courtesy to ask. “You did not need to ask me.”

“I wouldn’t take pictures without your permission,” she replied, taking the digital camera out of the holdall. “I could document that he’s been to a friend’s for the day, and what he did, without photos. It would just be a nice touch, and the registering organization like to see proof of what the residents do.”

“That’s understandable,” he agreed. “When would you like to have lunch?”

“Oh, whenever Jack’s hungry,” she told him, snapping a few photographs. “You don’t need to worry about me.”

He frowned, her stomach doing somersaults at his heavy eyebrows arching down over absolutely perfect eyes. “You are my guest too,” he told her.

She shrugged. “I’m just saying this day is for Jack, you don’t have to cater to me as well. I’m only here in case he needs me.”

He pursed his full mouth, choosing to ignore what she’d said.

“That was beautiful by the way – what you did with Sarah,” she said, referring to the dance he’d done in the day room. “That meant a lot to her.”

Ice blue eyes studied her. “Where is her husband?” he asked.

“He died about eight years ago. She doesn’t remember,” she told him, dropping the camera back in the bag and linking her fingers together on her lap. “Poor soul.”

“How long has she been forgetful?”

She inhaled through her nose, working through the years in her mind. “Only about three years or so,” she said eventually. “It’s been getting worse this last six months. Sometimes she can’t remember what to do with her knife and fork.” Her gaze landed on Jack, who was explaining to Bard in detail a specific species of flower.

“How come sometimes people can remember things from years back, but not what happened last week?” Thranduil questioned.

“Because most forms of dementia hit the short-term memory,” she responded. “They can remember things from their childhood, but not the fact they’ve had breakfast maybe twenty minutes ago. It’s just the way it works.”

“You would think with the progress in medical science there would be a cure,” he murmered, watching the lesson between the elderly man and the one half his age who was wrapped up in what he was being told.

She smiled. “I know. They’re always investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into finding a cure, but I don’t think it’ll happen in our lifetime. There are drugs which can slow down the onset, but not cure it completely.” She tapped her foot gently to the beat of Chris Issac’s Wicked Game as the sound of the music drifted from inside the house somewhere.

_No I don’t wanna fall in love, with you_

But In love was _exactly_ where she was. Helplessly and hopelessly head over heels. And she didn’t want to be there. Not with him.

He watched her unobtrusively as she watched Jack. He noticed the crinkles at the corner of her eyes when she smiled, the sparkle in the blue depths when she laughed. The way her curls caressed her arms as she moved. The sparkle of the sunlight reflecting off her toenails. The curve of her thigh as she sat with one knee crossed over the other. The snug fit of the jeans she wore.

“There you are,” a voice called out, dragging him rudely back to the present.

The two of them turned, and Thranduil’s heart sank as Olivia waddled across the grass in ridiculously high heels towards Bard and Jack. Kai clenched her jaw in silent anger.

A beautiful day was about to go down the nearest toilet.


	13. Chapter 13

** CHAPTER THIRTEEN **

****

“Bard, have you seen Thranduil anywhere?” Olivia asked. “I need to go over some of my lines for the shoot tomorrow.”

He shrugged, not turning to look at her.

“Oh come on,” she pushed. “You always know where he is.”

“I’m busy, Olivia,” he replied.

She hadn’t spotted Thranduil and Kai, who were sitting under the shade of a massive oak tree. “Doing what? Playing nurse-maid? What’s the old man doing out anyway?”

“Jack is a guest in my home,” Thranduil said, his deep voice sending electric shocks up Kai’s spine as it infused into her bones.

The actress turned, her face a picture of surprise. “Thranduil! There you are.” She teetered towards them. “I really need your help, honey.”

“Not today,” he said.

She pouted. “But I really want to get the shoot right tomorrow,” she protested. “It’s much easier rehearsing with someone, especially the one who’s in the scene with you.”

“It’s my day off; I’m not working,” he told her. His gaze remained on his friend and Jack.

Kai smiled discreetly.

Olivia took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t take up much of your time,” she said. “Just an hour or so. Surely you can spare me that?”

“No.”

“Thran-duil,” she whined.

Kai shook her head to herself as she dug her pack of cigarettes out of her back-pack and lit one.

The other woman’s eyes landed on her. “That’s disgusting.”

Kai stared at her, not flinching.

“I don’t know how you can sit next to someone who’s smoking,” she said, turning back to Thranduil. “I wouldn’t want to be near that. It turns my stomach.”

He reached over and took the cigarette, inhaling deeply on it before handing it back. “Olivia – go home,” he said coldly.

Kai struggled to keep a straight face and contain her surprise.

“Fine,” she huffed. “I wouldn’t want to impose on your little nurse-maid anyway. I’m sure you know a gold-digger when you see one.”

Kai flew up out of her seat as the actress turned and walked away, but he gripped her wrist.

“Let it go,” he said softly. “She’s not worth it, believe me. Do not give her the satisfaction of knowing she’s annoyed you.”

She glared at him as she slowly sat back down, her blood boiling inside her. “I fucking hate people like her,” she seethed. “People who make assumptions about people like me. She knows nothing about me.”

He took her hand in his, his fingers gently uncurling her fist and wrapping around hers. “She does not matter,” he said, caught in the blue fire that flashed in her eyes. “Ignore her.”

She glared at him for a few moments, the look in his ice blue eyes melting her anger. “It’s not fair, Thranduil.”

He nodded. “I know. She has had everything handed to her, and it has not made her a good person.”

Bard stood up and walked over to them. “How did she get past the gates?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest with a heavy frown.

“God knows. I shall have to change the keypad number – I do not want her coming here,” Thranduil replied.

Bard rolled his eyes and grunted. “I think Jack could go something to eat,” he said. “I’ll take him indoors and set everything up.”

The blonde nodded, his gaze going back to Kai.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

He smiled. “I do sometimes,” he replied. “Not very often, but occasionally. I’d have done that whether I did or not, just to annoy her.”

She laughed. “Why does she get to me?” she thought aloud. “Why do I let her get to me?”

He inhaled through his nose. “I do not have the answer to that,” he told her. “But I will be making sure she doesn’t get in here again. I will be sorely glad when this movie project is completed. I hate having to deal with her every day.”

“I’d love it,” she retorted. “I’d get to punch her lights out every day.”

He chuckled, uncrossing his long legs and rising to his feet. “Come on,” he said, holding his hand out for her. “It’s time to feed you and Jack.”

“I told you, don’t worry about me,” she replied, taking his hand and getting up. Her fingers instantly felt cold as she released him.

“And I told you – you are both guests,” he answered. “I will not cater to one and not the other. It isn’t my style.”

“If you say so,” she muttered with a grin, taking a last draw of her cigarette. She stubbed it out and shoved it in an empty pack in the side pocket of her bag, and caught up with him to walk alongside him into the impressive house.

*****

Lunch was quite a merry affair.

Thranduil watched Kai as she helped Jack with his meal, spooning it into his mouth when he seemed unable to comprehend the task. Her gentle smile and soft, reassuring words that she murmered to him spoke volumes as to how dedicated she was to her charge. The old man interacted well with her, obviously being comfortable in her care. A few times he asked about whether Charlie would be joining them for lunch, and the spark died a little in her eyes.

He could see it from across the table.

She tactfully made up safe excuses and carried on assisting him, and Jack seemed to accept that. She looked up at one point and met his penetrating gaze, and shook her head slightly.

He could see she was in a difficult position – lie and protect her client, or tell the truth and devastate him.

Once the meal was over, Bard suggested a walk around the grounds so the old man could see the animals, and Jack responded with enthusiasm. He pushed the wheelchair, while Thranduil and Kai walked slowly behind them.

“I wish I could do more,” he said, out of the blue as they passed a huge ornamental waterfall.

She frowned. “In what way?”

He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets. “He seems to have really bonded with Bard more than anyone,” he said. “Charlie wanted me to take care of him, but the connection isn’t with me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she assured him. “Sometimes, like a child would, they’re drawn to one particular person for no apparent reason. You’re still providing the backdrop, the visits, his finances...it’s just who Jack’s been drawn to.”

He lifted one shoulder in partial agreement. “I wouldn’t want to let Charlie down.”

“You’re not,” she said straight away. “You’ve invested more time than a lot of blood relatives, so ditch the guilt trip. I told you before – some people don’t give a shit, and that’s concerning their own families.”

They stopped, and she leaned against the wooden fence, holding her hand out. Aztec dutifully trotted over, sniffing her hand and then rubbing his velvet nose against her neck.

Thranduil felt jealous of the horse.

She laughed as she rubbed Aztec’s ears, pulling on them gently. “Damn...you’re gorgeous,” she murmered, and the horse snorted softly, making her laugh again. “Bashful, too.”

“He is one of my favourites,” Thranduil told her, running a hand down the horse’s long neck. “So gentle, so affectionate.”

“That’s what I love about animals,” she said, still toying with his ears. “I’d take an animal over a human any day.”

He studied her, watching the joy on her face as she fondled Aztec. “Have you just got the one pet?”

She nodded. “Tigra is enough for me, he’s a handful,” she said. “A great cat, but he’s full of nonsense sometimes. It’s like he never really left the kitten stage behind, you know? He jumps out from behind the couch and bites my toes if I’ve no shoes on, swings off the curtains, chews the mail...” She broke off with a grin. “But I adore him.”

She watched as further along the path, Bard had stopped and was squatting down beside the wheelchair, deep in conversation with Jack. The older man was pointing at the line of trees on the other side of the field.

“Thankyou for doing this for Jack,” she said, turning to her host. “This means a lot to him, and he’s responding really well.”

Thranduil smiled. “He’s welcome here anytime. You both are.”

A faint pink blush tinged her cheeks. “Thankyou,” she said. “I hope this is a memory that he can hold onto.”

They started walking again as Bard stood and continued ahead of them.

“So what do you do in your own time?” Thranduil asked. “Besides start riots on movie forums?”

She blew out a deep breath as she laughed. “It depends,” she replied. “I study a lot, I like to keep up with new methods of treating dementia and diseases that are associated with older people. I like to read – I always have at least two or three books on the go, and I really like arts and crafts.”

“What kind of crafts?”

“Mostly cross-stitch,” she told him. “I know – it’s an old art, but it’s a beautiful one that’s dying out fast because it isn’t being handed down to each generation anymore. I used to draw, but I haven’t done that in a long, long time.”

He tucked his hands into his pants pockets. “I doodle quite a bit, and I like to listen to music,” he said.

Her curiosity spiked. “What else do you do? Besides working and more working.”

He shrugged. “I like to read too. And I cook.”

Her eyebrows shot up and she stopped. “Seriously?”

He laughed. “Yes...what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” she laughed, picking up their easy stroll again. “I just didn’t picture you as a Gordon Ramsay type, that’s all. I hate cooking. For me, it’s a means to an end.”

“I picked up a lot from my mother, and I taught myself as I got older,” he said. “I like to spend some time playing the piano, and I think the whole world knows I like designing things.”

“I can play the piano,” she said. “I can’t read music, but I can listen to something and potter about on the keys until I put it together.”

He came to a stop, causing her to halt too. “You are quite the artistic person,” he acknowledged. “There is more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there?”

“I guess the same could be said about anybody,” she replied. “What the professional world sees isn’t necessarily the person underneath.”

Hypnotic eyes held hers. “Then why does the world act as though they are one and the same?”

Seconds ticked past as she swirled in a dazed trance under his gaze. “Because the world is cynical and jaded,” she replied eventually. “The world sees only two-dimensional images, not three-dimensional. It takes everything at face value and doesn’t bother to question the hows, the wheres, or the whys.”

His attention was caught by Bard, who called along that they were going to head back over to the house and continue with the planting. He waved in acknowledgement, and they started walking again, the conversation lost.

*****

_How many meaningful looks were there, EXACTLY? X_

Kai grinned as she read Robbie’s text. It was just like him to want to know every single detail and everything in between. She shook her head as she leaned on the handle of the shopping cart, texting rapidly with her thumbs.

_A few_ , she replied. _Not enough though LOL x_

_Can’t wait to tell the girls_ , he sent back almost instantly. _We’ve got bets on, over_ _how long it takes you guys to do it hahaha x_

Her cheeks flamed scarlet. Did they have nothing better to do with their time than place bets on her sex life?!

_Y’all need to get hobbies, ones that don’t involve fucking x_ she typed.

_Nope, this is far too juicy!_ the reply beeped. _Gotta run, need gas before the pumps close. Love ya Flower x_

Unable to wipe the smile off her face, she pocketed the cell phone and wandered down the last aisle, picking a box of cereal and a jar of coffee as she neared the checkout stand. Her mind wasn’t on her task as she paid for her groceries, loading them into two brown grocery sacks. Instead, her thoughts revolved around Thranduil’s eyes as he’d stared at her, telling her there was more to her than met the eye.

Those eyes could convey a thousand and one emotions, and were so easy to read. She read humour in them, pain, sadness, happiness, excitement. A few times she had been almost sure she’d seen desire there too.

Shouldering the door open, she left the store with a bag under each arm. Her apartment was only twenty or so minutes’ walk away, and she relished the idea of some exercise and fresh air.

The streets were relatively busy even give the time of day. A quick glance at her watch confirmed her guess; it was heading for ten minutes to eight. A relaxing shower and some supper was on her agenda once she’d packed her shopping away, then she could relax in her PJs and maybe finish the book she had been reading.

Her mood dropped as she spotted Olivia tottering through the groups of people on the sidewalk. Dressed in a baby pink skirt suit and wearing laughably high heels, she wiggled along with an Oscar de la Renta bag draped casually over one arm.

Kai sighed inwardly. She read enough to know that the average spend in that particular store was over three thousand dollars, and that the bag itself would probably pay for a month’s rent on Robbie’s apartment.

Olivia came to a halt in front of her, effectively making her stop too.

“Well well...the nursemaid has to do her own grocery shopping,” she purred. “Microwave dinner for one, is it? Thranduil didn’t invite you to stay for evening meal?”

Kai pasted a smile on her face. “We’re not joined at the hip,” she replied.

Olivia sniffed. “No...I’m aware. I feel sorry for you, to be frank.”

“There’s no need to be,” she replied, making to move around her.

A perfectly manicured hand sporting a massive diamond ring blocked her way. “He’s amusing himself with you,” the other woman said. “I’ve known him longer than you sweetie, and I know how he plays with women. He’s enjoying having you fawning over him.”

“I’m not fawning over anybody,” she retorted. “I’m doing my job, which is to take care of an elderly patient, who happens to be under Thranduil’s legal guardianship. End of story.”

“You keep telling yourself that,” Olivia said. “Everybody can see you’ve got the hots for him. He’s way out of your league sweetie, you’re just making a fool of yourself.”

Kai bristled. She hated the term sweetie, finding it condescending and insulting. “Listen, _sweetie_. You couldn’t be further from the truth if you were on Pluto. You don’t know anything about me, what I do, or how I think. So why don’t you butt out and mind your own business?”

The other woman laughed, the creases at the corner of her eyes prominent under many layers of makeup. “Oh dear...you must think we’re all blind. Even Stevie Wonder could see what your intentions are. Believe me – Thranduil’s no push-over when it comes to trying to get him into bed.”

“Tried, have you?” Kai snapped back.

Olivia’s fake laughter faded. “Uh no, I’m not interested,” she said.

“Like that stopped someone like you,” Kai said. “Well if you’re going to characterize me and put me inside a neat little box, I’ll return the favour and do the same with you. You’re an attention-seeking, spoiled brat who expects everyone to come running when you snap those manicured fingers. Guess what – the world doesn’t revolve around you or your petty needs and demands. It revolves around everybody else. So get a life, get a new attitude, and get out of my face.” She shouldered past, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as her anger tipped towards boiling point.

She whipped around as a hand grabbed her sleeve, yanking her to a stop.

“Stay away from Thranduil,” Olivia hissed. “There’s no fame or fortune to be found, no fifteen minutes in the spotlight, no candle-lit affair with him.”

Kai dropped her bags and wrenched her arm out of the woman’s grasp, grabbing her by the collar of her expensively tailored suit jacket, and hauling her so close, she could almost count the layers of mascara. “Touch me again, and I’ll break your fucking neck,” she warned in a low growl. “Get your hands off what you can’t work for. And stay the hell away from me.” With that, she shoved hard, sending her staggering backwards a few steps.

“I’ll have you arrested for assault,” the actress threatened, her cheeks flaming in shock and embarrassment.

“Go ahead,” she replied, lifting her shopping. “Pick which private hospital _that_ move lands you in.” She turned and marched off, angry at herself for reacting to the other woman, angry at how she’d been treated, and angry because she’d touched a sore point.

If Olivia knew she had feelings for Thranduil, could he see it too? Or was the venomous woman just being toxic? She could feel the heat rising up her neck as she headed along the sidewalk, her nostrils flaring as she fought to calm herself. Her days of wrestling in the street were long gone, and she was pissed the vile woman had made her react the way she had, but she didn’t like being grabbed and manhandled.

Heaving a sigh, she concentrated on the squeak-squeak of her sneakers on the concrete as she walked, hoping having something to focus on would divert her thoughts.

*****

“I can’t believe she had the cheek to say that shit,” Robbie mumbled through a mouthful of chips, sending crumbs scattering all over the table in front of him.

“You’re a pig,” Kai observed, sweeping the crumbs into her hand and into a pile at the side of her plate. “I know. She was dressed to kill Robs, you should’ve seen her. Made me feel like a fucking hobo.” She blinked in surprise as he reached across the table and slapped her upper arm.

“Another comment like that, and I’ll knock you out,” he warned, pointing a chip at her. “Clothes don’t make the person, you should know that.”

“You’re always saying the opposite,” she pointed out.

“Meh. That’s different,” he waved her off. “This Olivia’s just a cow through and through, and she’s obviously jealous of the connection between you and Thranduil. I think you hit on a good point Flower; I think she’s probably lusting after him too.”

She shrugged, watching Tigra as he shot up the drapes after something only he could see. “Maybe. Maybe not. I was just so furious.”

“How else would she know about trying to get him into bed?” he rationalized. “Sounds to me like she’s tried it, and has been given a serious knock-back.”

“It’s a good possibility,” she acknowledged, taking a chip and chewing on one end thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, it does sound like she’s feeling threatened. And the quip about fifteen minutes of fame and all that crap, maybe that’s what she’s after. And sleeping with Thranduil would give her just that if she sold her story.”

“From what you’ve told me, he wouldn’t hit that with anybody else’s,” Robbie remarked. “So I think you can count her out, she’s not competition.”

“There is no competition, you muppet,” she replied. “Thranduil has his own kind, for lack of a better word.”

“Bullshit.”

She shook her head in exasperation, opening a fresh pack of cigarettes and taking two out. “We’ve been over this,” she muttered as she handed him one. “It would be like a member of royalty slumming it with a peasant.”

“Change the diaper around your mouth love, it’s overflowing,” he said, lighting his cigarette. “You forget his roots.”

She lit her own, inhaling deeply. “Can you imagine breaking up with him?” she asked. “You’d never get over it – he’s everywhere. In the gossip tabloids, always in the entertainment sections in the papers...everywhere you looked, it’d be a constant reminder.”

Robbie shrugged, clicking his fingers to try and attract Tigra’s attention. “Break-ups happen, you deal with them, you get over them,” he said, snorting in disgust at the cat’s haughty look and giving up. He turned his attention back to her. “If you thought the way you do, you’d never get out of bed in the morning. You’d never take a chance on anything. That’s not healthy, Kai.”

She turned her head as her cell phone rang, reaching over to lift it up. Frowning, she recognised Thranduil’s number.

Robbie watched her intently. “You gonna answer that?” he asked.

She set the phone back on the worktop. “Nope.”

His eyebrows shot up at an alarming speed. “Why not?”

“Because maybe we are in touch too much,” she replied. “A bit of space won’t do either of us any harm.”

“You’re certifiably fucking insane,” he said, shaking his head. “What’s the matter with you, dammit. Just answer him.”

“Leave it alone, Robs,” she snapped. “I’m not answering. And if he calls me at work, tell him I’m busy. Update him on Jack, tell him anything he needs to know about him, and leave it at that. Or tell him I’m not there, or something.”

Robbie pursed his mouth, chewing over what she’d said. “Yanno, I could fall out with you so easily,” he observed. “You’re being a grade-A idiot, and you know it. Stop letting that skank get to you.”

“I think it’s time I crashed out for the night,” she said in return, stubbing her cigarette out. “Thanks for coming over.”

He smiled. “Any time honey, all you have to do is yell,” he said, standing up. “Gimme a hug.”

She stepped into his arms, closing her eyes in contentment as he embraced her. Inhaling his comforting smell, she was grateful she had him in her life.

“Get a good night’s sleep,” he advised, kissing her cheek. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Thanks babe,” she replied, kissing his cheek. His rough growth tickled her mouth. “Drive safe.”

She locked the apartment door once he’d left, feeling abnormally lonely. Catching Tigra’s eye, she swore the cat was judging her for not answering the phone. “You can knock it off as well,” she told him, rubbing his head as she went past on her way through to her bedroom.


	14. Chapter 14

** CHAPTER FOURTEEN **

****

“That’s three calls so far,” Robbie said.

Kai reluctantly looked up from her task, meeting his eyes over their patient. “Good.” She went back to what she’d been doing, carefully cleaning faeces from a bed-ridden, incontinent patient’s catheter line. “Can you roll her back towards me, and do her other side?”

“Just going to roll you over a little bit, Laura,” he said, leaning closer to the lady on the bed, who was sound asleep throughout their care. With easy, gentle movements, they combined efforts and rolled her to face Kai, giving him a better angle to clean his side. “You’re going to have to talk to him sooner or later.”

“Not here,” she said quietly, motioning with a finger towards their sleeping patient.

“She’s asleep!”

“It doesn’t matter,” she told him. “Not here.”

Ten minutes later, she snapped off her gloves and dropped them in the hazardous waste, walloping the faucet with her elbow to release a gush of hot water.

“Hurry up, woman,” Robbie said, standing beside her and leaning his chin on her shoulder.

“Gimme a minute, dammit,” she laughed, giving her hands a thorough wash. “What were you bumping your gums about? Might as well get it out and over with.”

“I said you’re going to have to talk to Thranduil sooner or later,” he repeated, elbowing her aside and taking over the sink. “You can’t punish him for something he hasn’t done.”

“I’m not punishing him. I’m just putting a wee bit of space between us, that’s all,” she said, drying her hands on the paper towels. “That’s not punishing him.”

“Yes it is. He’s going to wonder what the fuck he’s done that you’re all of a sudden not available to talk to him, when all along since Charlie died, you’ve been there round the clock. It looks bad, Kai. It looks like he’s done something wrong.”

She scrunched the towels into a ball and tossed them in the domestic waste, reaching over his shoulder for the alcohol gel. “You’re making it more than it is,” she told him. “And it’s not like I’m lying or anything, I am busy. I can’t drop everything just to run to the phone every time he calls.”

He dried his hands, squeezed a blob of gel from the dispenser, and followed her along the corridor as he rubbed it into his hands and wrists. “I’ll write up Laura’s notes, and you can call him,” he suggested.

“Ha. Nice try,” she said, shoving the duty room door open. “I’m capable of writing notes, in case you didn’t know. Why don’t you blow up some balloons for the balloon therapy after lunch?”

“Procrastinator,” he accused.

“Bullshitter,” she tossed back as she took the patient’s file from the unit and opening it to the bowel movement chart. “Go on – bugger off. Do something useful. You should be great blowing the balloons up, ‘cos you’re full of hot air anyway.”

He gasped dramatically, making her laugh. “Make your own damned coffee from now on!” he said in exaggeration, and flounced out of the office.

Settling down with the file, Kai took the chart out of the plastic sleeve and documented Laura’s recent incontinence. Her eyes drifted over to the telephone as it rang.

She set her pen down, hoping Alex would answer it in his office upstairs. Breathing a sigh of relief as it stopped ringing, she went back to the chart.

And almost had a fit when the phone beside her rang, the tone indicating an internal call. Probably transferring the original call.

Glancing around, she spotted Lucy in the hallway. “Lucy!” she hissed, banging on the duty room window. “Do me a favour! Take that call. If it’s for me, say I’m busy with someone.”

Her colleague frowned at her as she entered the office. “Is everything alright?” she asked, reaching for the receiver. “Hello?”

Kai nodded, waving cool air in front of her face.

“Uh no, she’s not here right now, Alex,” Lucy said, narrowing her eyes as she stared at her friend. “Ed said something about she was giving someone a shower. Ok...I’ll tell her.” She put the phone down, crossing her arms and continuing to stare. “Well?”

Kai sighed, crossed one knee over the other and proceeded to fill her in on her encounter with Olivia the previous day.

“And you’re avoiding Thranduil why?” the carer demanded. “That’s not right, Kai. He hasn’t done anything wrong. The guy likes you for Chrissakes...don’t shut him out.”

“I’m not,” she insisted.

“Yes you are,” Lucy counteracted. “I’m having nothing to do with this, Kai – if he calls again, you’re on your own.”

“Gee, thanks,” she muttered, dropping her head into her hands.

“Just doing what’s best for you,” she said with a grin, and patted her shoulder as she left the office. “You’ll thank me for it one day.”

She grunted, and returned the chart to the file, storing it away again. Damn Olivia, and her observations!

*****

Thranduil tutted in frustration, sliding his cell phone onto the shelf. He walked to the centre of the massive room, rolled his shoulders to loosen up, and proceeded to do some warm-up stretches.

His thoughts dwelled on Kai. He’d called several times already, and she hadn’t returned his call. This was unusual for her, and it troubled him. His thoughts went over the previous day, going through every conversation to see if he’d said something to offend her.

He came up with nothing.

Walking over to the bench press, he thought back to when she’d left to take Jack back to the unit. He’d offered Bard to drive, but she’d declined. She’d told him she would settle Jack back in with the late shift, then had a few errands to run before heading home herself.

Yet her cell phone had rung unanswered.

Stepping astride the machine, he lay back and reached over his head for the weights handle, feeling the frustration building. He was sure he hadn’t upset her, and she always responded to calls at her work. Being a professional through and through, she’d knocked him off his feet with her commitment to helping him through losing Charlie and guiding him through his new responsibilities. But over the last 24 hours, it felt like she was avoiding him like the plague.

And he was damned if he knew why.

Taking a deep breath, he held his position for a few seconds, replaying their farewell the previous day. She’d decided to take Jack back to the unit in the late afternoon, as he’d been showing signs of becoming tired. She’d explained she didn’t want him to overdo things, as he’d end up over tired and would give the nightshift hell. Knowing that she knew the old man inside out, he had agreed and trusted her opinion.

They’d worked together securing Jack into the back of the small bus, laughing and talking as they worked comfortably side by side. When Kai had closed the rear door, she’d turned to face him with a smile that lit up her entire face.

“We’ll have to do this again, soon,” he’d told her, falling into the blue depths that held him prisoner.

“Definitely,” she’d agreed with a nod. “This has made such a difference to him, and having so much fresh air and a different environment is really beneficial for him.”

He’d nodded in agreement, unable to look away. “Drive safe,” he’d said.

She’d blushed a little...just the faintest hint of pink had coloured her cheeks, and she’d glanced at her feet. “I will,” she’d responded, shyly lifting her gaze back to his.

Time had stood still, for both of them. Thranduil had felt like the equilibrium he normally had in his life was tipping wildly; his hands itching to caress her, his mouth burning to taste hers. She’d eventually looked away, patting the side of the bus and saying she had to make tracks before the freeway became too congested with people desperately racing to get home after work. He’d watched the bus pull away until it disappeared, feeling lost and bereft. The spark that seemed to burst to life in her presence had died, and a dullness was left in her wake. He’d bunched his hands deep in his pants pockets with a sigh, not having a clue what to do with his time now it was his own again.

Shaking his head in frustration and taking another deep breath, he began to work the weights, despite the feeling that he was wasting his time as he was unable to concentrate on anything except Kai and her silence.

*****

Two days passed.

Thranduil had gone from being confused and frustrated to seriously pissed off. Kai still hadn’t answered or returned any of his calls, and she was conveniently busy any time he called the unit.

He clenched his jaw as he stood on his mark, waiting for Otis to give him the nod.

“Action!”

He moved as the shout echoed around the large room, a cool mask sliding over his features. He lifted one hand and pounded on the door with a closed fist.

It swung open, revealing his co-star. She was wearing an almost transparent nighty that only just grazed her upper thighs, and his gaze lowered to her legs as she daintily crossed one ankle over the other.

“Are you lost?” she purred. One hand rested on the door.

He looked back up into her eyes. “What have you done to me?” he growled.

“I gave you what you wanted,” she shot back. “I turned you into a man. You wanted it, you got it. Now leave me the fuck alone.”

The door started to close at speed but he slammed his open palm against the wood, halting the movement. “You don’t pick people up and dump them as though they’re trash!” he hissed.

“You were a means to an end,” she told him. “You were a challenge. I won.”

As quick as a flash, he swiped his free hand out. She stepped back to avoid the blow, both actors knowing it would be edited afterwards to make it appear that he’d actually struck her.

“Cut!” Otis hollered. “Take five, folks.”

A soft murmering drifted through the assembled cast and crew as the two stepped back from each other. Thranduil turned and walked away.

“A little bird tells me that you’re arranging a get-together next week,” Olivia said, trailing close behind him.

He didn’t answer at first, and she appeared alongside him.

“Your little bird knows more about my private life than I do,” he said. He kept his gaze firmly fixed on Bard, who was silently observing from the far end of the hall.

“I hear it’s The Cathouse,” she went on. “That should be interesting.”

He grunted; a non-committal noise.

“Thranduil, I hope you’re taking female company with you,” she said, placing her hand on his arm and making him stop. “You know how you might end up surrounded by desperate women trying to catch your eye. That would stop any unwanted attention.”

One heavy eyebrow lifted as he glared down at her. “I have already invited female company,” he lied fluently.

She snorted. “Oh Thranduil,” she sighed, shaking her head. “Your little nurse-maid doesn’t count as _female_ company.”

His nostrils flared. “Stay out of it, Olivia. I will take who I want.”

“She won’t turn up,” she said, dropping her tone. “I’m sorry, I really am. She gave me the impression she doesn’t really like you at all, and she’s only being civil because of the old man.”

“You do not know what you are talking about,” he said.

“Well...she didn’t say it in so many words, but...” She trailed off, leaving an ominous silence between them.

Thranduil frowned. “When did you talk to her?” he asked.

“Oh...a while back,” she said.

He could hear the mischief in her voice. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. “You’d better not have said anything to her,” he hissed angrily. “Stay _out_ of my private life. You are not welcome. Mind your own business instead of mine.” He shrugged her hand off and stormed away, leaving her with her mouth open.

“Problems?” Bard asked, sliding off the corner of the table he’d been sitting on.

“I’m going to split,” he replied, tugging his jacket off and heaving it onto the wooden surface. “Tell Otis what you like. I don’t care.”

The door of the studio slammed at his back, and Bard turned to meet Olivia’s eyes.

She smiled slightly, and turned away.

*****

Just under an hour later, the black SUV screeched to a halt outside the dementia unit. Getting out, Thranduil slammed the door and strode inside, determined to find out what damage Olivia had done.

Tony was walking along the hallway with a resident, and saw him burst in.

He stormed over. “Where’s Kai?” he demanded, his cheeks red with anger.

“Uh, she’s in the duty room,” the carer answered, wondering what had happened. He’d never seem him like this.

Thranduil nodded stiffly and headed over to the office, knocking once on the door and barging in.

Kai looked up, shock written all over her face. Robbie was seated next to her, his face mirroring hers.

The towering six feet five blonde was absolutely furious.

“What the fuck did Olivia say to you?” he demanded.

Robbie cleared his throat, and pushed his chair back. “I’ll catch up with you later,” he said, taking a bundle of paper work as he stood. “Hi Thranduil.”

Kai’s eyes never left Thranduil’s.

He looked absolutely fuming. The muscle at the side of his jaw tensed as he clenched his teeth.

She stood, reaching around him to lock the duty room door as Robbie left, and sat back down again. “Sit,” she said, indicating the seat her friend had vacated.

Thranduil sat, not breaking his gaze. “Well? Am I right? She got to you again?”

She inhaled, crossing one knee over the other. “What makes you think that?”

“The fact you have been avoiding me for the last half a week,” he said. “I thought everything went great the day you brought Jack over. As far as I know, I did not say or do anything to make you feel uncomfortable. Yet all of a sudden you’re busy all the time, you will not return my calls.”

She tapped her foot, looking away from him.

He leaned forward. “If I did do or say anything out of line, I am sorry,” he said softly. His mood changed, his body language changed. He needed answers, and charging in like a bull wasn’t going to get him any.

Her gaze shot back to meet his. “You didn’t,” she replied. “I’ve just been swamped with work, that’s all.”

He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. “I thought we were friends.”

“We are,” she insisted.

He slowly shook his head from side to side, his long blonde hair gently swishing with the movement. “I have enough friends who treat me like shit. I don’t need another.”

She closed her eyes briefly, feeling low for ignoring him for so long. “It’s complicated, Thranduil,” she said, her tone dropping to just above a whisper.

He heard pain in her words. “What happened?”

She lowered her head, not wanting to broach the subject, but knowing she should make him aware that this mess wasn’t his fault.

Gentle fingers tipped her chin back up, making her look at him. The sadness in her eyes took his breath away. “Talk to me, Kai. Tell me everything…please.”

Heaving a sigh, she felt she had no choice but to come clean. “I bumped into her while I was out at the store, the day Jack and I were at yours,” she said. “She accused me of trying to get you into bed, of being after an affair, and money. She said everybody could see it, and I was making a fool of myself. I didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, so I backed off.”

An emotion that she couldn’t place flashed across his eyes. “I did not think anything like that,” he said. “And I think I know you well enough to know that you are not that kind of woman. What the hell right does she have to talk to you like that? To hurt you like that?”

She shrugged. “I thought that if everybody else thought what she thought, I should back off,” she explained. “I don’t want anybody getting the wrong idea.”

“So a man and a woman cannot be friends anymore?” he asked, in a tone that suggested he wasn’t looking for an answer. “Kai, I am sorry she did that. I am at my wits’ end with her; she is so interfering, always pushing her nose in and making comments where they are not welcome. Please do not pay any attention to her. You should have called me right away, talked to me about this. I’ve been worried sick, thinking I had done something to upset you.”

“I’m sorry. I probably handled it the wrong way,” she admitted. “I didn’t know what you were thinking, if you had the same opinion as she does. I’ve not done anything for you that I wouldn’t do for any of my residents’ families or guardians.”

_Except lie awake at night fantasising about how many ways you could make me come_.

He shook his head, grunting a noise of anger and frustration. Taking her hand, he studied her. “Kai, I trust you. I feel like I have known you forever, almost. I value your friendship, and I completely love what you do with your patients here,” he said. “You have got so many qualities that you’re not even aware of. I do not want someone as vile as Olivia turning off the glow that you have. Not many people have that glow, but you do. It shows in your work, how you interact with people.”

She looked at a fixed point on the wall over his shoulder.

“She said you gave her the impression that you don’t like me, and you’re only being civil for Jack’s sake,” he said, watching her reaction.

Her eyes shot back to his, and he could clearly see the furious blue flames that blazed in the depths.

_And there it is_ , he thought. _Undeniable proof that she likes me on some level._

“That’s the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard,” she said, her voice loaded with venom and anger. “If I didn’t like you, I’d tell you. I wouldn’t have gone to Lux with you. I wouldn’t have sat in your damned car in the middle of the night. If I didn’t like you as a person, I wouldn’t give you the time of day outside of Jack’s interests. I’d have arranged for someone else to go with him to your house the other day. I fucking _hate_ her, Thranduil. She’s poisonous.” Fire radiated from her soul.

Thranduil smiled slightly, a sad little smile that pulled at her heartstrings. “It has always been hard for me, knowing who to trust,” he admitted. “But I felt something when I first met you, like you were a decent, genuine person who genuinely does care about other people. I do not think I was wrong. And I do not think that you are looking for fame or money either.” _But I do wish you were trying to get me into bed, because baby – I’d willingly go._

He kept that thought to himself.

Kai remained silent for a few moments. “Thranduil, I’m sorry,” she said eventually. “I shouldn’t have switched you off just like that.” She emphasised with a snap of her fingers. “I should have spoken to you, told you what she’d said.”

He lifted one shoulder in a semi-shrug. “It is ok.” He paused. “Are we friends again?”

Her sad eyes lifted to meet his. “We were never _not_ friends,” she told him.

He stood up. “Give me a hug,” he said, and she rose to her feet before him.

Stepping into his embrace, she closed her eyes as his arms closed tightly around her. His smell invaded her senses, the heat from his body melting into hers. She concentrated on the feel of his stomach against hers as he breathed, and the burn on her back as his hands gently rubbed her through her uniform. Strands of his amazingly long blond hair tickled her nose as she’d turned her head slightly towards him. Taking a few precious seconds to cherish what she was feeling, she finally stepped back and sighed.

“Listen...seeing as we are on talking terms again, I have a proposition for you,” Thranduil said, reluctantly leaning back out of the intimate hold. “I was planning a get-together at the Cathouse at the start of next week, just some close friends and associates. How do you feel joining us? Bringing some of your colleagues, and have a decent night out?”

She smiled. “I’d love to. We were planning on having a night out next weekend anyway – it wouldn’t hurt to bring it forward a little. We could do with letting our hair down.”

He beamed. “Well I shall fix it so that you guys are picked up and taken home again afterwards,” he told her. “You all work so hard, and put so much into this place, I think it would be nice for you to get out and live a little. I cannot promise that it will be a wild night or anything; Cat’s usually have restricted admittance at my request when I go there, but you should be able to switch off from work for a while.”

“Thankyou Thranduil, it sounds a great idea. And I’m sure the guys will jump at the chance. Why don’t we go ask them, see who wants to go?” she responded. “We can grab a coffee too, if you have time.”

“I would like that,” he replied, with genuine feeling in his voice, as he followed her from the duty room.

As luck had it, the rota had been scheduled with an almost divine intervention, leaving Kai and her team off for three days starting from Sunday. Everyone jumped at the chance to tag along to the nightclub, agreeing with her that work had been tough lately, and a good night out would do them the world of good. Thranduil insisted on taking care of getting everyone there, saying he would text through who would pick them up, when and from where.

By the time he left the unit to go back to the set, his mood had lifted, and he felt much better, grinning to himself as he slid into his car.


	15. Chapter 15

** CHAPTER FIFTEEN **

****

The next three days dragged past.

The care team were trying their best to apply themselves to their work, but Kai could see the excitement over the upcoming event was overruling their tasks. Deciding to try and resolve the matter and get the best from them, she called a quick huddle in the duty room.

“Listen guys, there’s still a few hours left to work before we get out of here,” she said, addressing the carers seated in the office. “I know it’s bloody hard to try and concentrate, but pull together and let’s get through this, ok?”

“Sorry, Kai,” Lucy murmered. “I haven’t been able to sleep properly since this was all arranged.”

“I know honey, but our residents always have and always will come first,” she replied, completely understanding where she was coming from. Truth be told, she was a quivering wreck herself at the thought of spending time with Thranduil outside of a work environment.

Would he be the same gentleman she was used to? Would he dance with her at the club? Or would he retreat behind a wall of his friends and colleagues and keep his distance, being out in a semi-public place?

“Kai’s right,” Tony piped up. “We haven’t been ourselves these last few days, and it’s not fair. These old folks still need us.”

Cassie nodded in agreement. “Although I hear when Thranduil and his guys go to Cat’s, they tear the floor up. This is going to be a night to remember.”

Kai caught Robbie’s eye, and he winked at her mischievously. They’d gone shopping together the previous night, and he’d talked her into the sexiest outfit she was ever likely to wear. Suppressing a smile, she dragged her attention back to her team. “I take it nobody has mentioned this to anybody else?”

Heads shook collectively.

“Good,” she said with a nod. “Thranduil’s really cagey about his privacy – we don’t want to let him down on that.”

“We won’t,” Cassie assured her. “I have to ask, Kai – what are you wearing?”

“Wait until you see it!” Robbie burst out, unable to contain himself any longer. “I helped her pick it out, and I guarantee...if she doesn’t end up in bed with him by the end of the night, the man’s a fucking concrete statue!”

Ripples of laughter circled the assembled group.

“Quit that,” Kai laughed, slapping him. “It’s an outfit, end of story. Nothing spectacular.”

A chorus of “whoo-hooo”s circled the office.

“Come on you lot, get back to work,” she instructed. “Tasha, would you check Helen and see if she’s up to a bath or a shower?”

“Will do,” the carer said, getting up and disappearing out onto the floor.

“Cassie, I want you to call the community support idiots, try and track down where Stella’s life diary is,” Alisha said. Stella was the new admission who’d previously arrived with practically nothing, sending the care team into chaos as they’d battled to track down her belongings. “That way, I can work on her care plans a little more effectively.”

“I’m on it,” she assured her, grabbing a telephone directory and hunting through it for the number.

“I’ve got stuff to do,” Tony announced, rising from his seat. “Lucy, wanna help me set up the seats for chair exercises?”

“Yup,” she replied, and the two of them left to take care of their task.

“Coffee break?” Kai asked, turning to Robbie.

“Thought you’d never ask, Flower,” he grinned.

“Yanno...under different circumstances, you guys would make a great couple,” Cassie observed, glancing up from the directory with a grin.

“Sorry Cupid, but Kai is more into the tall, blond, Adonis, Oropherion-type, and I’m more into the male-type than the female,” Robbie responded humorously. “Much though I love her to bits, never in a month of Sundays!”

“I’d never let you!” she laughed, and pushed him through the office door. “Go stick the kettle on, I need to use the bathroom. I’ll meet you outside.”

Before long they were settled with their coffee, enjoying the warm sun as they had their break. Kai sat on the low wall, while Robbie was sitting cross-legged on the concrete in front of her playing with his cell phone.

She reached for her own as an incoming text message beeped.

 _Hi_ , it read. _Still on for tonight?_

Thranduil.

She smiled. _Yes, can’t wait_ , she typed back. _Been a hectic week, it’ll do us all good to chill out._

_Bofur will pick you and Robbie up around eight thirty, and Dwalin’s going to pick the others up. Do you mind if I meet you there?_

_No problem_ , she replied.

 _Have a peaceful shift_ , he sent.

 _Ha bloody ha_ , she sent back, with a laughing face.

“Is that the Walking Shampoo Commercial sending you sex messages already?” Robbie asked, grinning.

“No, you nutjob. He’s going to meet us at Cat’s. We’re being picked up at half past eight,” she told him, sliding the phone back into her pocket.

He nodded, inhaling deeply on his cigarette. “Can I come to yours and get ready?” he asked.

“Of course you can,” she told him, taking the cigarette from him and inhaling. “I thought you were doing that anyways.”

“I want to see what you’re going to do with your hair,” he said, mischief flashing in his eyes.

“Nothing special. I’m just going to straighten it and leave it down,” she said.

He gazed at her. “You doing ok?” he asked.

Holding his stare, she hesitated. “Honestly? Fuck...I’m a bag of nerves, Robs. I’m excited, but terrified at the same time. This’ll be the first time I’ve been in his company without it being connected to work. What if I fuck it up? Or say something stupid?”

“You won’t,” he said confidently. “Just be you, but without orgasming all over him.”

She grinned. “Come on. We’ve still got work to do before we crash out of here.”

*****

The CatHouse was heaving inside.

Thranduil had been right about restricted access and the management had made sure it was admission on approval only, rather than letting the general public in. Even at that, the place was still pretty mobbed.

Dance music pounded out in the semi-darkness, strobe lights flashing a pulsing beat and picking out the crowd.

Thranduil fidgeted.

Kai should have been picked up half an hour ago, yet she hadn’t shown. His nerves quivered, as he wondered if she was going to be a no-show.

“She’ll be here, Thrand,” Bard told him, reading his thoughts.

He smiled in return. Glancing over towards the entrance corridor yet again, he decided he had to relax and settle down, or the entire night would be a waste of time.

Beside him, Bard flipped his phone open and studied the screen. “Three or four minutes away,” he said. “Bofur’s just pulled in, now they’ll have to get inside.”

“Good,” he replied, swallowing his nerves.

Around them, the clubbers danced their hearts out, the energy intense in the atmosphere.

He kept a watch on the entrance, his heart thudding in his chest. After what seemed like an eternity, his patience paid off.

His lips parted, his heart missed a beat, and his breathing slowed down almost to a complete halt.

Flanked on either side by Bofur and Robbie, Kai strode into the nightclub. The top she wore fitted her like a second skin. Black, sleeveless, and with a neckline that plunged down between her breasts, the fabric was covered in sequins of blue and silver, and came to a halt just above her waist.

Her pants were black, with blue and silver sequins around the waistline, which curved around her waist and dipped into a V, exposing her stomach. The fabric was skin tight, hugging her thighs. She wore silver hooped earrings, which disappeared and reappeared in her hair as she moved. The strobe lights flashed blue on the black tresses which hung poker straight down her back.

He’d never seen anyone look as sexy in his life.

Swallowing, he made his way towards her, unable to take his eyes off her.

Her face lit up in a smile when she spotted him. “Hi, Thranduil,” she said.

He held his arms out, pulling her into a hug and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “I’m glad you could make it,” he said in her ear, over the noise of the music. Reluctantly letting her go, he turned to Robbie and shook his hand. “Hey, Robbie.”

“Looks like a good turn-out,” Robbie said, shaking his hand. “Thanks for inviting us.”

“It’s my pleasure, I hope you have a great time tonight,” Thranduil replied, his burning jealousy of the bond between him and Kai having faded as he’d finally realised his nemesis was in fact, gay. “This is good timing, the others are here too.”

Kai and Robbie turned as Tony, Lucy, Cassie, and Tasha appeared with Dwalin. Thranduil greeted each of them in turn as he had with them, making everybody welcome.

“Guess what, Flower?” Robbie whispered in her ear. “When he kissed you on the cheek, he did it for longer than he did with the girls!”

She tutted softly, trying not to grin and fuel Robbie’s mad gossiping mind. “You’re imagining things,” she told him. “C’mon, gimme a dance!”

The group stayed on the floor as the music changed from track to track, dancing the night away.  Kai danced with Robbie, moving from track to track and changing rhythm to each song. The two could have been mistaken for a couple as they danced intimately, knowing each other’s moves.

Thranduil watched them.

He eventually crossed over to them, and Robbie made an excuse and disappeared. He’d taken as much as he could stand, watching her dance with Robbie, her body twisting and turning seductively. Her hips kept perfect time to the beat, her long hair swishing around her waist, and he longed to feel that hair against his own skin. The tight black pants hugged her ass and her legs like a second skin, making him go impossibly hard at the thought of those legs wrapped around him.

“I hope I have not chased him away,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist as they moved to the music.

“No, he’s been looking for an excuse to sit on his backside for the last half an hour,” she laughed. “He’s probably indebted to you for rescuing him.”

“So are you guys enjoying yourselves?” he asked, glancing at the others.

She nodded, her arms entwined around his shoulders as she moved to the beat with him. “Definitely. This is where I like to come and forget the outside world exists.”

He grinned, tucking her head against the side of his neck and swaying with her. She felt like heaven in his arms, her scent intoxicating. Resisting the burning urge to splay his hands over the exposed skin between the hem of her top and her pants waistband, he kept them firmly planted halfway down her back somewhere.

The music mixed from the Pointer Sisters’ Automatic into the Mac Band’s Roses Are Red, the hypnotic beat pulsing through the air. The two of them moved as one, lost in the rhythm and each other.

“I just love 80s music,” she said in his ear, which was tantalisingly close to her mouth. “I play it all the time; at work and at home.”

“I listen to all sorts of stuff,” he replied, closing his eyes and inhaling the aroma from her hair.

“Is there anything in particular you prefer to listen to?” she asked, as she stepped away from him and he whirled her round, pulling her close and placing his hands on her hips.

He shook his head. “Only when I’m in the gym,” he replied. “Anything with a faster beat helps motivate me.”

“I get the feeling you’d be as obsessive about working out as you are at working,” she observed.

He smiled. “I’ve always been the same.”

“Perfectionist.”

He nodded, the beat controlling his body as the track melded into Alexander O’Neal’s Saturday Love.

The night rolled on.

Thranduil and Kai seemed to be paired off quite comfortably, happy and content in each other’s company. Her work mates milled around, appearing and disappearing at various points. The dancing continued, and at times everybody sat together for a break, just talking and socializing.

Kai was encouraging Tony to show off a new break-dancing skill he’d picked up when she felt Thranduil change. Turning to look at him, his face was set in a firm mask of anger, his body having gone rigid. Following his gaze, she felt her stomach sink to the depths of hell as Olivia made her way through the crowds towards them.

“Who let the dogs out?” Robbie murmered.

“Fucked if I know,” she replied, feeling her blood start to bubble in anger. “She’d better stay out of my way.”

Thranduil exhaled heavily through his nose, leaned back and draped his arm casually across her shoulders. Robbie noticed and looked away, smiling. A move which did not go unnoticed by Kai.

“Hi Thranduil...guys,” Olivia greeted them in a sugar-sweet voice as she squashed her way between Thranduil and Bofur to sit down. “It’s pretty busy in here.”

“Olivia, who invited you?” Dwalin tactlessly demanded.

Kai smiled to herself. The security guard called things as he saw them, and took no prisoners.

“My sister-in-law is staying with me for a few days,” Olivia replied, straightening her top and sticking her bust out in the process. “She talked me into coming tonight, said I needed a break. She said I work too hard.”

Thranduil rolled his eyes, catching Kai’s, and they shared a grin.

“So...how’s our Thrand enjoying being away from work?” the woman purred, turning to him and batting her eyelashes at him. “You know you work too much as well...you need to take care of your health.”

“You need to take care of you own,” he replied dryly, purposefully not looking at her.

“Mine is just fine,” she said, rubbing his arm. “I’m perfectly healthy.”

He moved his arm away.

“Dance with me?” she asked.

“Uh, no. I promised Kai the next dance,” he replied, getting up.

Olivia grabbed his pants leg. “Somebody has to keep me company,” she purred.

“That’s not my job,” he snapped, taking Kai’s hand and pulling her up. He led her out in amongst the crowd, pulling her close and moving to the beat. “I’m sorry she’s here. I deliberately told her not to come. I don’t want to be around her, and I don’t want her upsetting you.”

She smiled, locking her hands behind his neck. “She won’t upset me. My guys won’t let her. They’re kinda protective of me.”

“And so they should be,” he said, staring at her mouth. “You lead them well.”

The smile grew wider, and she dropped her eyes. “We gel together really well as a team,” she said. “In retrospect, there’s times when we can almost read one another’s minds. And that helps with our line of work.”

He tucked her head against his shoulder, allowing the rhythm of the music to flow into his veins. Standing at only five feet eight compared to his six feet five, she fitted against him perfectly. She anticipated his movements on the floor, and synchronized so they blended together.

Kai caught Olivia’s venomous glare across the club, the hatred burning in the depths of her eyes, as the track changed and she snuggled tighter in the tall blonde’s arms.

“I think she needs to think I’m involved with someone,” he remarked, catching the look. He turned her away from his body and slid his arm around her stomach, pulling her tightly back against him. The track blended seamlessly into a remix of George Michael’s Father Figure. Kai’s eyes closed and she melted against him; the track was one of her favourites and she found the remixed beat highly erotic.

“I’m game if you are,” she said, turning her head sideways to look at him over her shoulder. She felt his chest heave as he took a deep breath, and wondered if she’d misread his meaning.

A gasp left her as he lifted both her hands above her head, slowly sliding his hands down her arms, and she lowered them down behind her to lock around the back of his neck. His hands continued down, brushing the swell at the side of her breasts, and sliding down to her hips. He stopped there, guiding her hips in a swaying motion against him, moving with her. The floor seemed to tilt beneath her feet, the blood left her head and she started to feel dizzy. His strong hands held her tight against him, the movement of their hips heightening her desire. She pushed back against him as they moved, her lips parting as she felt the hardness pressing against her.

His left hand held on to her left hip, his right palm flattening against the exposed skin of her stomach. Her head fell back against his shoulder as she felt his nose nuzzling her hair out of the way to rub against her neck.

Since _when_ was her abdomen an erogenous zone?!

“She should get the message after this,” he murmered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Opening her eyes, she met the other woman’s furious eyes and smiled; a lazy, self-contented smile. Served the bitch right.

Her eyes closed again as the heat from his warm hand burned her stomach, his open palm applying firm pressure on her flesh. She inwardly thanked her earlier resolve to stay away from alcohol, feeling that this was euphoria in itself and she didn’t need any outside encouragement.

The heat left her back as Thranduil turned her to face him, pulling her body to his. Her muscles felt weak, useless, and by this point she was relying on him to guide her and support her.

“Are you game for a little revenge?” he asked, his mouth a millimetre away from her ear. “A little pay-back for how she’s been towards you?”

“Lead on,” she replied, thinking her voice sounded like someone else’s.

Her heart thumped in a tribal rhythm as his mouth left her ear, gently and slowly caressing her cheek. The velvet softness blazed a trail of fire across her skin, sparks bursting like fireworks throughout her bloodstream. She slowly slid her hands up his upper arms, feeling the muscles there tightening under her touch.

Nerves? Anticipation? Arousal?

Her knees threatened to collapse as he hovered close to her mouth, and she had to forcibly lock her joints to remain upright. The flesh across her lower back burned, scorched from the swirling motion his hands were making over her skin. Again, she inwardly thanked her earlier resolve, this time for wearing a padded bra. Her breasts felt so swollen and her nipples rock hard, and without it she was sure he would’ve felt them through their clothing.

The darkness and the strobe lights surrounded them, wrapping them in a cocoon of intense sexual energy. Knowing that although this was an act to throw Olivia off Thranduil’s tail, Kai was sure he was as turned on as she was.

A soft moan escaped from her throat.

His hands slid up her body to clasp around her neck, his thumbs along both sides of her jaw. The music pounded around them, but she hardly noticed; her eyes drawn to the ice blue of his.

His mouth captured hers, his soft lips caressing hers with gentle tenderness. Her heart thumped wildly, the pounding in her ears deafening her. She went willingly as he pulled her even closer, the hardness of his body pressed tightly against her.

Oh yes – he was _definitely_ as turned on as she was.

She followed his lead, letting him guide her. His thumbs slowly caressed her jaw as his mouth teased hers, their bodies still moving in time to the music. The world seemed to explode as his tongue pushed against her lips, forcing them apart.

The kiss changed.

The atmosphere changed.

His hold on her changed.

Pure unadulterated lust flushed through her, heating her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Every cell in her body felt on fire, bursting into life with the inferno that took over her entire system. Her tongue danced with his as he explored her mouth, lights flashing behind her closed eyelids.  He lowered his hands and slid them across her upper back, crushing her against him. One hand drifted down and grasped her hip, urging her tighter into the curve of his pelvis.

He dragged his mouth away from hers, panting like he’d run a thousand miles, and buried his face against her neck. She felt the sharp bite of his teeth, as both hands gripped her hips and rocked her hard against his. The muscles across his arms and shoulders rippled and flexed as her hands moved across them, but this time she knew the reason.

This was no longer an act.

Her fingers tangled in the long tresses of his hair as she held him as physically close as humanly possible. Her body was engulfed in flames, all rational thought having gone right out of the equation.

The heavy beat continued to pound around them, echoing the beat of her overworked heart. Her lungs struggled to filter the oxygen she needed, and she felt like her whole body was going into meltdown.

A hand on her arm broke the magic.

Robbie stood at their side, concern etched on his face. “Have you got your cell phone with you, Flower?” he asked.

She shook her head, feeling dizzy and disorientated as Thranduil loosened his hold on her a little. “No, I left it at home, why?”

Sad eyes held hers. “Adam’s just texted from nightshift,” he said. “Jack’s had a major stroke.”

Kai felt like someone had emptied a bath of icy water over her. She looked at Thranduil, and by the look on his face, he’d been drenched in the same cold water. His blue eyes met hers, shock and grief battling over the arousal that burned in the depths.

“Thranduil...I need to go,” she said, her voice breaking. “I need to go to him. I’m sorry.” She turned to leave, but his hand stopped her.

“I am coming with you,” he said, snapping back to the reality of the situation.

With a nod of his head, Bard appeared and led the three of them through the crowd towards the exit.


	16. Chapter 16

** CHAPTER SIXTEEN **

****

Kai shouldered the main doors open and hurried inside the unit, Robbie and Thranduil close on her heels. Adam was waiting for them outside the duty room.

“Doc Peterson is with him,” he said softly, and handed her a spare scrub top.

She nodded to the nightshift Senior, slipping the tunic over her clothes. “Thanks, Adam.”

Almost sprinting along the corridor, she reached Jack’s room and gently knocked before going in.

Her shoulders sagged.

The room was lit by the soft glow of a bedside lamp, the curtains open. Alisha clocked immediately the slightly open window.

She knew what that meant.

Jack had gone.

Tears burned her eyes as she turned her head and looked over at the bed. The old man lay in supine position, his eyes closed. She slowly walked towards him, stopping at his side and taking his hand in hers.

“When?” she asked, lifting her eyes to the doctor.

“Twelve thirteen,” he replied, glancing at his watch. “Sixteen minutes ago. I’m sorry Kai.”

She nodded, holding a closed fist against her mouth. Behind her, Thranduil slid an arm around her stomach. Robbie put his hand on top of hers, holding Jack’s.

“He didn’t suffer,” Dr Peterson said softly. “The stroke was massive, and he probably wouldn’t have made it even if he did want brought back. He’s at peace.”

Again, she nodded, not trusting her voice to speak. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she struggled to put her professional head on. “Thankyou for being here with him,” she said.

Thranduil heard the fight in her voice as she fought to find a grip on her professional side.

Dr Peterson nodded, gathering his medical bag. “I’ll leave you to it. The death certificate will be available from the hospital first thing in the morning.”

Robbie thanked him and left the room with him, leaving her alone with Thranduil.

Silence reigned.

“I should’ve been with him,” she said eventually, still holding Jack’s hand. “He didn’t deserve to go without someone he knew being with him.”

“He was not alone, sweetheart,” he said, almost in a whisper. “Perhaps he would not have wanted you to go through that.”

She huffed softly. “That’s a line I give out,” she said.

“And maybe there is some truth in it,” he replied. He felt her stomach muscles start to quiver, and then her shoulders. Twisting her around, he pulled her to him in a crushing embrace as the dam burst and she started to cry. Heart-wrenching sobs that tore through her, and broke his heart.

She clung to him, fistfuls of his shirt bunched in her hands. Her tears flowed freely, the pain she was feeling overshadowing everything.

Robbie appeared back in the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt guys...Adam wants to know if you want to do the aftercare, or do you want him to do it?”

She sniffed, pushing Thranduil away slightly and trying to wipe her tears away. “I’ll do it,” she said, determination clear in her voice. “What about you?”

He gave a sad smile. “You know I’m not going to leave you,” he told her. “Why don’t we leave him for a while, get a coffee and get our heads together?”

Thranduil looked at her in surprise.

“We shouldn’t move anyone within half an hour to an hour after death,” she explained, seeing the question in his eyes. “It gives the body time to settle.”

He nodded, not really understanding.

Turning back to Jack, she stroked the side of his face. “We’ll be back in a little while,” she said softly.

Thranduil took her hand, and she let him lead her out of the room. Robbie closed the door behind them, and disappeared into the staff quarters.

She took him over to the sofas at the end of the hallway, dropping her weight down and closing her eyes. He sat beside her, still holding her hand.

“This is so sad, so close behind Charlie,” he murmered.

“At least they’re together now,” she replied. She opened her eyes. “I shouldn’t have gone to Cat’s tonight.”

He frowned. “Why not? It was your night off, Kai. You cannot stay tied to this place around the clock, it is not healthy.”

“He didn’t deserve this,” she said in a whisper.

“Listen to me,” he said, placing his knuckle under her chin and turning her head towards him. “You gave this man the best he could ever have hoped for, and Charlie knew you would. You have nothing to feel guilty about, absolutely nothing. He was lucky to have you and your team to take care of him.”

Her blue eyes filled with tears as she held his gaze, and he felt useless.

She had no words, nothing to say to him. The pain was clear in the depths of his eyes, and she didn’t know how to alleviate that pain. Chewing the side of her mouth, she sorted through her muddled thoughts. “I’m sorry you’ve lost Jack too,” she said at last. “Losing Charlie was bad enough...now you have to contend with losing his father on top of that.”

He shrugged with one shoulder. “There wasn’t anything you could have done to change things,” he told her. “Jack’s time was up, he was called Home. I’ll do what I can to deal with it. I am more worried about you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said determinedly, sitting up straighter as Robbie appeared with three mugs of coffee. “Cheers, Robs.”

“There you go Thranduil,” he said, handing one of the mugs to him. “Are you ok?”

He nodded. “I’ll be alright,” he said. His eyes turned to Kai, who stared into her coffee.

Robbie looked between the two. “We’ll take care of Jack around one o’clock-ish,” he said. “You’re more than welcome to hang around, or you can go home if that’s what you want to do. Just do whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I shall stay,” he said immediately. He wasn’t going to take off and leave her to deal with this without him.

Robbie nodded in understanding. “You’re the closest to family that he had, so you have the option to assist with the aftercare if that’s your wish.”

Panicked eyes turned to Kai.

“You don’t have to,” she reassured him, lowering her cup as she swallowed a mouthful of coffee. “It’s a formality that we offer. Very few people take us up on it. It’s your call.”

He inhaled slowly. “I think it is probably best if you guys do it alone,” he said. “You know what you’re doing.”

She nodded. “That’s no problem. We’ve done this so many times, we could do it in our sleep.”

Robbie gave a wry smile. “Remember you took me through my first?”

She smiled sadly. “Little Alice Wilson,” she recalled. “That was quite a few years ago.”

Robbie sighed. “D’you want to come for a smoke?”

“Yeah,” she said, putting her cup down and standing up. “Will you be ok for a few minutes?” she directed to Thranduil.

“I’ll be ok, take your time,” he replied, and squeezed her hand before breaking contact as she stepped over his feet.

The pair went outside and sat on the low wall.

“Is your sister still harassing you with constant emails and calls?” Robbie asked after a short silence.

She nodded. “Yeah. I’m just ignoring them now. I can’t get dragged into anymore crap, not right now.”

“I know right now isn’t the time, but Kai...what was that at Cat’s?!?” he hissed. “My God...I thought you guys were going to go for it in the middle of the floor!”

She smiled, despite the situation. “He wanted to get the message across to Mutt-Face that he wasn’t available.”

Eyebrows arched upwards. “Yeah, right. That was acting? Like hell.”

She lit her cigarette, passing the lighter back to her friend. “I know. He was just as affected as I was, trust me. I could feel it.”

“Whooo,” he grinned. “Details.”

“Ha – forget it. I’m not describing size and shape Robs, not a chance,” she snorted. “I don’t know where it would’ve gone if you hadn’t appeared.”

“Straight into horizontal position,” he shot back. “You guys were steaming the freakin’ place out, nobody could see an inch in front of them.”

“Was it that hot?” she asked.

He snorted. “Put it this way; the varnish on the bar almost caught fire,” he said dryly. “I thought the fire extinguishers were going to have to be dragged out and put into use.”

She burst out laughing. “Yeah right, behave yourself! It was a dance, nothing more.”

One eyebrow raised in scepticism. “D’you think I was born yesterday?” he demanded. “I saw that kiss, I saw those wandering hands, I saw that hip-grinding business. I know an impending fuck when I see one.”

Still laughing, she shook her head. “I’m not going there Robs, he just wanted to prove a point. I can’t help it if he got all hot’n’bothered in the process.” Her cheeks flushed as she recalled their dance. “Damn...”

“Got an itch to scratch, Flower?” he laughed.

Her laughter faded, the thought of the impending task bringing her back to reality. “No, I don’t.”

Robbie reached over and took her arm, running his thumb over the paw print tattoo on her inner wrist. “Do your best for Jack,” he advised softly. “And let him go.”

She nodded, tears blurring her vision. “I know, I will,” she said. “God...you’d think I’d be used to this after all these years.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I don’t think we ever are.”

Teary blue eyes lifted to meet his. “My connection with Thranduil has gone,” she murmered.

He frowned. “Because Jack’s gone? Don’t be stupid – he’ll still be around.”

She shook her head, withdrawing her arm. “I doubt it. He’s got his message across to Olivia, Charlie’s gone, and Jack’s gone. It’s finished. Full circle.”

“Bullshit,” he responded. “Wait and see. I’m never wrong.”

“Mr Perfect, are ya?” she quipped, sliding off the wall to her feet. “Come on...let’s go and do our best for poor Jack.”

*****

Kai stretched and rolled over, squinting at her cell phone with a half-asleep grunt of disgust. The number lit up on the display was Thranduil’s.

“’Lo,” she said, her voice thick with sleep.

“I’m sorry...did I wake you?” he asked.

She sniffed. “Yeah. I should’ve been awake anyways, don’t worry about it,” she replied. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you’re coming to Jack’s funeral,” he said. “It’s been arranged for Friday afternoon.”

She chewed her lip and considered her reply. “To be honest Thranduil, I probably won’t,” she said. “Robbie will be there, and probably the unit manager, but I’m going to miss this one. I’m a bit worn out with the whole death thing these last few weeks.”

Silence.

“You know that you are welcome if you change your mind,” he said eventually.

Inside, he was bitterly disappointed. He’d drawn strength from her presence at Charlie’s funeral, and was inwardly expecting her to attend this one too. He’d felt a yawning chasm between them since the night Jack had passed, and felt helpless to bridge the gap. She’d pulled back from him yet again, and this time he felt it was his fault rather than that of an interfering outside influence.

He knew he’d gone too far at the Cathouse. His hormones had taken control when she’d turned his blood into liquid fire, and he’d followed up on it. No wonder she’d retreated to safety. He’d been determined to look as though he was involved with her, and had used her in the process, making her look cheap.

“Chances are I won’t,” she said.

Her heart was split in several directions, each one tugging on the opposing one. She couldn’t get what had happened between them on the dance floor out of her mind, constantly replaying the kiss over and over, to the point where she could feel his hands burning her. She’d willingly agreed to play along with his plan, to help out a friend but more so that she could be in that compromising position with him.

Much to her dismay, she felt he’d pulled back straight after, with Jack’s death switching the bright light of reality on them. And she felt she’d acted like a first-class slut with him on that floor.

“Are you alright?” he asked, breaking her line of thought.

“Yes. Just processing what happened,” she answered, not telling a lie.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No, but thanks,” she said, rolling over and sandwiching the phone between her ear and the pillow. “I have my own way of dealing with it. I’m taking a couple of days off; I need to get away for a while.”

“Where are you going?” he asked, sitting bolt upright at his end.

“I don’t know yet,” she replied. “Just away from work, away from life for a wee while.”

He mulled over her words. “You know I’m here if you want to talk,” he said, not knowing what to say to her. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, as he realised she was pulling even further away.

“Thanks,” she said. “Robbie will give you any support you need for the funeral, and he’s one of the best – use him to your advantage. It’s what he’ll be there for.”

_I don’t fucking want Robbie, I want YOU_ , his inner voice screamed. He closed his eyes, feeling like he’d lost in a race he didn’t know had even started. “Stay in touch?”

She closed her eyes, feeling the bite of tears. “Yeah, course I will,” she said. “Take care.” Not waiting for a reply, she cut the connection and tossed the phone across the bed.

Hearing the click on his end, Thranduil sat like a statue, stunned.

He’d lost her.

*****

Kai watched Tigra bounce around on the rug, chasing an empty candy wrapper and pouncing on it. The cat looked like he was having a fit of some sort.

“I know you feel like crap right now, but it _will_ pass,” Robbie told her. His concerned gaze hadn’t left her since he’d arrived and taken over her couch.

She glanced up from the cat, meeting his eyes. “Says who?” she demanded. “I shouldn’t have gone to that damned club. I shouldn’t have danced with him.”

He tutted. “Kai, Kai, Kai,” he murmered, shaking his head. “Did you feel good, dancing with him like that?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“So what’s the problem?”

She took a deep breath. “I behaved like a complete slut,” she answered. Her fingers picked at something non-existent on the arm of the couch she was occupying. “I was all over him. That kiss, that whole dance should never have happened.”

“He instigated it,” he pointed out.

“And? I didn’t have to take it as far as it went.”

Dark eyebrows arched down in a frown. “I thought he wanted the Hound to think you guys were involved with each other? Maybe I’m going off my head, but this isn’t making sense to me in the slightest.”

“He did, and I went along with it. But it went too far. Now he thinks I’m cheap,” she replied.

“Has he said that?” he demanded, leaning forwards and resting his elbows on his knees.

“No. But he’s pulled right back ever since,” she said, still picking.

“Stop doing that, Nervous Nelly,” he chided her. “Did you ever think that maybe he feels bad because you’ve got it into your head that Jack dying alone is your fault?”

She looked over at him. “I doubt that’s it.”

“I think that’s _exactly_ what the problem is,” he decided, settling back again and folding his arms. “He feels bad because you feel bad, and he’s blaming himself. And you’re blaming _your_ self, you nutter.”

She said nothing, just continued to pick away at the arm of the couch.

“Kai.”

Her eyes lifted back to his once more.

“Call him,” he said softly. “Go to Jack’s funeral, support him. He’ll be looking for you, because you did it with Charlie. It’s not fair to drop him on his ass this time around. Even though it _is_ a nice ass…

“Stop it,” she sighed. “I’m not going, Robs. I’ve made my mind up. I’ve got too much shit going through my head right now. Charlie going, Jack going, losing Marianne the way we did, everything with Thranduil, my damned sister practically stalking me twenty-four-seven, work…I can’t take any more on board. Not right now.”

He stood up, shaking his head. “What d’you want me to say to him if he asks about you? Because you know for a fact that he will.”

She shrugged. “Tell him what you want. Tell him I’m just trying to find myself or something. Tell him anything. I don’t care.”

He watched her for a few moments, still picking at the couch. “Yes you do,” he said. “That’s why it’s affecting you this way. You keep closing ranks and shutting him out when you’re hurting, and you’re not thinking about what that’s making him feel like. Put yourself in his position, Flower. He has feelings too. It’s not just you.”

“He doesn’t,” she retaliated, anger in her voice. “He’d have said or done something by now if he did. Besides, he’s got the pick of any Hollywood actress, they’d all fall at his feet. There’s no reason for him to be interested in me.”

“Fuck me, you can be so…so… _dense_ when you want,” he grunted in exasperation. “Have it your way. Lock yourself into a self-imposed prison of isolation, if that’s what you want to do. But I’ll tell you this much, Kai – if you stall for much longer, he’s gonna get pissed off and he _will_ look elsewhere. Trust me. He needn’t be alone in life; the guy’s stunningly gorgeous and as sexy as hell. If he sends the right signals out, somebody will take him up on them.” He stepped over to her and leaned over, kissing her cheek. “I love you to bits, but you drive me fucking crazy,” he whispered. “I’ll call you. Sleep well.”

She didn’t answer, just kept her gaze focused on the couch as he left her house.


	17. Chapter 17

** CHAPTER SEVENTEEN **

****

Thranduil tugged at his collar, feeling like he was being cooked in the heat. The sun was beating down on everybody gathered for Jack’s ceremony, with not a cloud in sight.

Bard hovered around, unobtrusive in his task of conversing with those gathered to mourn. Bofur was talking with the priest, and other employees were going about their duty.

Casting his eyes around, he spotted Robbie getting out of his car, accompanied by an older man, who he presumed to be the manager Kai had spoken about. He walked over to them, taking off his shades.

“Hey, Robbie – thanks for coming,” he said, shaking his hand.

“Wouldn’t miss it for anything,” he replied, returning the handshake. “Jack was special to all of us. This is Alex, by the way. He’s the manager.”

Thranduil nodded to the other man, and shook his hand. “Thankyou for everything you guys did for Jack,” he said.

“Jack had a special place in our hearts,” Alex replied. “I know that Kai had a special bond with him, as did Robbie here and quite a few others. So sad; first Charlie and now his father.”

He nodded. “I suppose it’s fortunate that we cannot see what’s around the corner,” he replied. “Some things are better off being unknown until they happen.”

Robbie nodded in agreement. “We’d better get seated,” he said, observing the chairs filling up as more mourners made an appearance. “We’ll catch you later, Thranduil.”

He watched the two men head over to the seating area, a heavy sadness in his heart. Kai’s absence was a gaping hole, and he really needed her. He’d discovered she didn’t even have to say anything at times; just knowing she was around soothed his nerves and settled him.

The service passed, and Jack was laid to rest alongside his wife and his son. Afterwards, everyone did as before, and gathered together for refreshments.

“How’s Kai?” Thranduil asked Robbie, finally having parted from the groups of directors, actors, and producers who wanted to talk projects with him instead of paying their respects to the elderly man who had died.

“She’s alright,” he replied, taking a sandwich from a platter. “She’s just keeping herself closed off just now, trying to process everything that’s happened. She does that when she’s upset.”

Thranduil nodded, feeling he had a part to play in her feeling so bad. “I had hoped that she would change her mind and come today,” he said.

Robbie shook his head. “She’s hurting really bad right now. She’s lost too much recently, and has taken it hard. She’s strong though, she’ll come through it ok. Just needs to lick her wounds for a while.” He watched him, wondering what was going through his mind.

“I guess I really got used to her being around,” he said, after a moment’s silence.

“Yeah...she has that kind of magnetic personality,” Robbie agreed. “It’s too quiet when she’s not around.”

Thranduil smiled slightly.

Robbie’s mind worked overtime. Maybe this whole fucked up situation needed a kick in the right direction.

“It’s been eventful for her recently,” he said. “She has a lot to think about.”

Thranduil didn’t meet his eyes, looking instead at something across the other side of the room. “Yet she accepts death so well,” he murmered.

“This isn’t just about Charlie, or Jack,” Robbie said.

Thranduil’s glance shot to meet his. “What do you speak of?”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe people sometimes,” he said. “You can’t see what’s right in front of you.”

Thranduil frowned, and Robbie’s appreciation for the male gender could see why his best friend had fallen so hard. “I do not understand.”

“I’m not going to take the horse to the trough,” he said.

“I upset her at Cat’s, didn’t I?” Thranduil said, his tone soft and thoughtful.

“Fuck me...wake up and smell the coffee,” Robbie snapped, irritated. “Kai dances like that with me because she knows she’s safe, she knows I won’t touch her. She danced like that with you because she _wants_ you to touch her.”

He blinked.

“She’s crazy about you, and you’re just messing around with her emotions,” he went on, anger evident in his tone. “I think you’re genuinely an alright guy Thranduil, but don’t fuck Kai around. She doesn’t deserve it. She’s too good a person, and she gives too much. She’s one of the last decent people left on this damned planet.”

With that, he turned away and went through the groups of people to the other side of the room where Alex stood in conversation with someone.

Thranduil made a mental effort to breathe. Kai was crazy about him? About _him??_ Since when?? Thinking the entire world was fucked up, he spun round, looking for Bard. Finding him, he went over and told him he was disappearing.

“Are you alright?” his friend asked, concern bringing his eyebrows down in a frown.

Thranduil refused to meet his eyes, his gaze sweeping the large room. “Yes. I need to get out of here, clear my head. I can’t think right now.”

Bard smiled gently. “Tell Kai I said hi,” he told him, turning away.

*****

Kai sat curled on the couch with her feet tucked underneath her, an open book lying on her lap, unread. She had no interest in the words that blurred together as one mass on the page before her, her mind instead on the funeral and proceedings which were taking place. She wondered how Thranduil was coping.

Was Robbie doing as she’d asked, and supporting him? Was he alright, his shoulders heavy under the pressure of death once again? Would his own friends and colleagues help him though it?

Olivia came to mind, and her mood dipped further.

The actress, although she was a total bitch to her, was gorgeous. Her large eyes were the deepest shade of amber she’d ever seen, her eyelashes long and dark as they framed her eyes. She had a figure to die for; petite next to Thranduil’s towering height, and curvy in all the right places.

Kai sighed softly.

She stood a good few inches taller than the other woman, and her own eyes were deep blue; quite boring in retrospect. She had curves, but was slim in comparison. Her long hair was blue-black, whereas Olivia’s was an alluring shade of rich blonde that fell in soft waves around her shoulders.

Being in the same profession as Thranduil, she seemed like a perfect partner for him to have on his arm, even though he showed nothing but irritation and distain towards her. Kai herself had nothing to offer him, nothing in the way of enthralling conversation about acting roles or directors or scripts. She couldn’t converse or debate different ways to portray a character, or share anecdotes about other actors.

Her world consisted of updating medication records, changing colostomy bags, and changing wound dressings. Spoon-feeding patients and patiently helping them to mobilise when they were able. Keeping her team in check and making sure they had the training they required to be the best at what they did.

She sighed, the book dropping to her lap as she gazed out of the window.

Her eyes widened as Thranduil’s black SUV pulled to a halt outside, and the tall blonde climbed out of the vehicle.

Her heart immediately started beating faster.

She hadn’t seen him since the night they’d been in the club, the night Jack had passed away. He’d stayed in the unit while she and Robbie had taken care of the old man’s body, waiting with silent patience as she did what she had to do, then drove them home afterwards. She’d been silent the whole way back, withdrawn into her own world where she tried to make sense of what had happened over the course of what had started out to be a wonderful evening.

He’d watched her with sad eyes as she’d exited the car, calling to her retreating back that he’d call her, then leaving to drop Robbie off at his apartment.

She’d switched her phone off for the following few days, closing the entire world out. The only reason she’d spoken to Robbie was because he’d turned up unannounced, banging and yelling at her door until she’d let him in.

Thranduil’s long legs carried him up the drive and he disappeared from her line of vision, his loud pounding on her door making her jump. She slid off the couch and padded over to open it.

He stood on the top step, his hands braced on the doorframes on either side of him, his head lowered. Long blonde hair trailed down over his shoulders, moving softly as he slowly lifted his head and gazed at her.

The anguish in his ice blue eyes was tangible and took her breath away.

His lips parted, but he said nothing.

“Come in,” she said softly, standing to one side in an invite.

He stepped past her, stopping once inside and stuffing his hands into the pockets of his suit pants. His eyes remained fixed on something on the floor as she closed the door.

Turning to him, she took a deep breath. “How did the funeral go?” she asked.

His eyes lifted to hers. “Why did you not tell me?” he whispered.

She swallowed. “Tell you what?”

He shook his head, pain evident in his look. “Why did I have to find out from someone else?”

Dark blue eyes stared questioningly into his as he stepped closer, pulled his hands free and lifted them to touch against her cheeks.

“Why?” he repeated in a pained whisper.

Her eyes fluttered closed and her heartbeat accelerated as he leaned his head down, his soft, warm lips brushing gently over hers. Her hands touched his upper arms in a shy, hesitant move. His muscles rippled underneath her fingers, and he fractionally increased the pressure of his mouth against hers.

The barriers shattered.

She slid her hands up to his shoulders as he altered the tempo of the kiss, his touch becoming insistent and hungry. Her lips parted under his and he immediately took advantage.

The hallway they were standing in spun around them as he turned and backed her against the wall, crushing her between it and his hard body. Heat flared through her, gathering between her legs where it roared to an inferno of desire and want.

Crossing her arms around his neck, she responded to him with a passion and hunger that matched his, and the world was lost to reason. A helpless whimper sounded from her as his tongue took possession of her mouth, teasing, licking, exploring. Her own responded in kind, fuelling his lust even further. Strong hands swept up her sides and gripped hard, and he lifted her bodily off the floor.

She instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, earning a deep groan from him in response as he ground his hips against her. Heavy panting and gasping noises filled the air as he wrenched his mouth free, pulling back marginally to gaze at her.

His chest heaved against hers as he breathed hard, her own rising and falling against his as she searched his eyes. They moved simultaneously, both diving back to each other with a deep-seated hunger that needed to be sated and fed.

Kai twisted her fingers into the lengths of his hair, gripping tightly as his mouth devoured hers, her soft whimpers and moans inciting him further. His tongue invaded hers and took control, dominating the heat and the intensity of the erotic kiss.

He tore free from her once more and lowered his glazed eyes to her swollen lips. She didn’t say anything, just waited for whatever was on his mind to come forth.

And it did.

“I need you,” he whispered.

A flush of acute arousal fired through her body at his open statement, and her heartbeat accelerated even further. She closed the gap between them, gently sucking his full lower lip between her teeth. He groaned from somewhere deep inside his chest, turning away from the wall with her still held tightly against him. She released one hand from his hair, reaching behind herself as he walked the hallway with her and opened her bedroom door. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back with him towering over her, his hands roaming everywhere at once.

“If you do not want to do this, now is the time to tell me,” he gasped. His sharp teeth grazed the side of her neck, and his soft mouth brushed over where he’d bitten her. “Because if we keep going, I will not be able to stop…”

She answered by swiftly undoing his tie and sliding it from under his shirt collar. It landed somewhere on the edge of the bed, ignored by both of them. Hurried fingers twisted the buttons of his shirt free and ran down the chest she revealed as she pulled the fabric away from him. Heat blazed from his skin into her exploring hands as she swept them up and down whatever flesh she could touch. He shrugged first one shoulder then the other, and successfully managed to wriggle his way out of the garment, and she whipped it away and threw it.

A guttural moan left her lips as he pulled down the straps of her top. Warm lips dropped hot kisses on her skin as he shifted down her body. The moan turned to a lusty cry as his mouth closed over one nipple. She tangled her hands into his hair as she arched up off the quilt towards him. Her eyes rolled back as his warm hands caressed her sides and slid in between them to unzip her jeans.

His long hair felt like silk against her, tickling her as he moved to her other breast to continue his pleasurable torture. The denim fabric was pushed down her thighs, and she wriggled beneath him to kick them free, booting them off the bottom of the bed somewhere along with her top that he’d dragged down the length of her.

His mouth travelled further down, and she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip as light kisses tickled her abdomen as he explored.

It didn’t take him long to tug insistently on the elastic of her underwear, pulling the flimsy material down her legs which were entangled with his. He slid back up to kiss her, his tongue once more taking possession as he claimed his territory.

She gasped into him as he slid two fingers into her, and he pulled back abruptly to stare down at her in wonder.

“You are s _o_ wet,” he whispered, transfixed by the changing shadows in her eyes.

She was.

She was soaking, and his hand became drenched instantly as he rubbed the heel of it around the juncture of her thighs, both fingers still buried up to the third knuckle in her. Her hips moved of their own accord, trying to urge him to penetrate further and ease the gnawing ache that had roared to life within her.

He crushed his mouth against hers, breathing hard through his nose as he struggled for air, his fingers desperately trying to probe deeper. She whimpered and bucked against him as the tension in her body coiled, desperate for release. Her leg wrapped around him in an attempt to haul him even closer than he was.

Breaking the kiss, ice blue eyes stared into hers as he fumbled with his pants. The bulge of his arousal made the mundane quest of freeing himself seem like an impossible task, but her hands slid down from his shoulders and she pushed at the waistband as he wriggled to be rid of the garment.

Hungry mouths crashed together again as he lifted his weight and settled in between her open thighs, her hips rising automatically to grant him access. His fingers twisted in hers as he clenched hard, and she squeezed back as she felt him nudging hesitantly.

“Please,” she whispered, her breath coming in ragged, unsteady gasps as she tore her mouth free from his.

His blue eyes were glazed with lust and passion as he slowly pushed forwards, his leg and stomach muscles tensing and tightening as his sensitive tip prodded the wet heat that awaited him. Her mouth opened in a soft cry as he pushed a little further. Strong muscles closed around him as he sunk deeper, constricting and tightening around his solid length.

A gasp left him as he pushed in all the way, and her legs immediately lifted and wrapped around his waist, pulling him a little deeper. He made a strenuous effort to swallow, feeling dizzy and disorientated, waves of passion flowing through him in rapid succession.

Her mouth grazed the underside of his jaw as he slowly started to move. He slid his hands under her back as he fought to breathe, and lowered his head to nibble on her neck. She moved with him, matching each slow, deep thrust with a lift of her hips. Soft murmers and whispers passed between them, gentle touches and caresses as the heat built steadily.

He turned his head and touched his open mouth to hers, absorbing each gasp of pleasure that she made. She shyly pushed the tip of her tongue inside, hesitant and almost unsure. He responded, enticing her to let go and reciprocate as he encouraged her. His tongue swirled erotically around hers, making her moan helplessly. He smiled into the seductive kiss, knowing she was as turned on as he was.

She shifted beneath him, tilting her hips as she lifted her left leg higher, and he slid his right arm under her knee, supporting her as he altered his position. His thrusts went deeper, hitting every sensitive spot she’d ever been blessed with.

Spots she didn’t even know she had.

Hot kisses travelled down her neck as she writhed on the bed. Her hands gripped his upper arms and she held on as though her life depended on it, before trailing up over his broad shoulders and down his back.

“Tell me what you want,” he whispered breathlessly as his soft lips moved over her cheek. He leaned his forehead against hers and gazed into her eyes, far too close to be focused, but deepening the connection between their souls. “Tell me what you like. Tell me what you want me to do to you.”

“Anything,” she whispered back. “Anything and everything.”

He smiled, twisting his head slightly and kissing her again. “I will do anything you wish to give you pleasure,” he told her, still in the same hushed whisper. Another kiss. “Anything you ask of me.” Another kiss. “I will take you beyond the boundaries of your imagination.” Another kiss. “I have desired you for _so_ long…”

She settled one hand over his which was fisted against the bed, and the other slid around his neck as she closed the miniscule gap between them, her mouth hungrily seeking his. A deep moan rumbled from the depths of his soul as their minds, their hearts, and their energy merged into one; they became almost one being.

Her senses went into overload as she exploded in an almighty orgasm, contracting tightly around him as she thrashed and squirmed, waves of intense pleasure arcing through her body. His arms tightened around her to hold her down, his hips thrusting hard and fast into her pulsating body.

She was still coming as he reached his peak, bursting deep inside her with a deep, throaty groan of pleasure that almost had her coming again, it sounded so primal, so erotic. His heavy body relaxed against hers as he breathed hard, his arms trembling with the effort of supporting his weight. She kept her arms around his shoulders as she turned her head and placed a soft kiss to the side of his neck, inhaling the aroma of his cologne.

A soft smile of happiness drifted over her lips as she closed her eyes in contentment.


	18. Chapter 18

** CHAPTER EIGHTEEN **

****

Kai grumbled into her pillow as she rolled over and kicked her foot free from the quilt. The early morning sunlight streamed in through the gap in the curtains, and she refused to open her eyes against the glare.

Her arm moved and touched something, making her lift her head after more grumbling. A folded sheet of paper was propped up against the pillow.

Sitting up and lifting it, she unfolded it and read the elegant, cursive handwriting.

_Stupid o’clock start on set today. I’ll call you later. T x_

She smiled.

Her body ached after what he’d done to her through the night, and what she’d done to him; a delicious, pleasurable ache that made her feel warm inside. Memories floated back to her; of rolling over and over with him, of him being buried deep inside her. Of strong hands gripping her hips, of long, silky-soft hair sweeping over her sensitised flesh as he’d explored every inch of her again and again. Of breathless pleas and cries as he’d taken her to untouched heights, making her body do things she’d never dreamt it could do.

Sliding out of bed reluctantly, she wandered through to the kitchen and switched the kettle on for coffee. Tigra wound his way around her legs, his long, fluffy tail tickling her.

Her head turned as her cell phone rang.

Picking it up, she frowned as she viewed the number displayed.

Her sister.

Again.

The phone skidded across the worktop and came to rest next to the knife block, where she purposely left it. She made her coffee, fed Tigra, and went through for a shower.

Half an hour later, she sat cross-legged on the couch with her laptop open, taking notes on the on-line dementia course she’d started a few days previously.

*****

The morning passed quickly, and before she realised, it was mid-afternoon. Tigra was sprawled out along the back of the couch snoring, and she laughed as she gently tickled under his ear. The cat sounded like a small engine when he snored or purred.

Her phone rang and she shifted the laptop, crossing over to the kitchen and retrieving it.

“Hi, Alex,” she said as she connected.

“Kai, how are you?” her manager asked. “I just wanted to let you know that Jack’s things need to be collected pretty soon. The hospital have been in touch – they have a patient urgently needing a placement.”

“Have you called Thranduil?” she asked with a frown.

“Yes, but he didn’t answer.”

“He’s probably working,” she said, not wanting to part with any more information than necessary. “Try him again later.”

“I will. Robbie seems to think that he might have called you after the funeral yesterday,” Alex said.

“No, he didn’t,” she replied. She wasn’t lying.

He hadn’t called her. He’d shown up at her house and they’d fucked in every conceivable position. But he definitely didn’t need to know that.

“If he does call, I’ll tell him,” she decided. “The chances are he’ll get in touch with the unit anyway, to finalise all the paperwork and everything.”

“Hopefully,” her boss replied. “Alright, I’ll see you when you come back. When are you on shift..?”

“Monday,” she said. “I’ll see you then.” Disconnecting the call, she shook her head as she dialled Thranduil’s number. Her gaze wandered to Tigra, who was in mid-yawn and stretch, bursting out laughing as he rolled off the back of the couch and thumped down onto the soft cushions. “Crazy cat,” she muttered.

The call went to voicemail, so she decided to leave him a message.

“Hey, it’s Kai,” she said. “I’ve just had a call from Alex at the unit. He’s saying there’s possibly a new admission coming, and he wants Jack’s belongings taken away. I thought I’d let you know, as I think he’ll try to catch you sometime later today. I think he’s-“

She spun around as the door of her home crashed open, bouncing off the wall.

“ _Dad?!”_

*****

Ben Walker gripped the door and slammed it closed, making the sound reverberate through the house. He slowly advanced into the lounge, his angry stare fixed on his daughter.

“Why have you not been answering your sister’s calls?” he demanded. “She’s been calling you non-stop, and you’ve ignored every single one of them.”

She took a deep breath. “I’ve said all I have to say to her,” she replied. “I’ve been busy, and I don’t have time to argue with her over something I’m not going to change my mind on.”

His gaze swept around the interior of the house. “I see you’re still living in the house that you have no right owning,” he growled. He stopped a few feet in front of her.

She swallowed. “Dad…why did you come here?”

“To make you see sense!” he roared, swooping towards her.

She gasped in fright and the phone slid from her hand, crashing onto the worktop.

“This was supposed to go to either your mother and I, or your sister!” he shouted. “That stupid old man must have gone senile in his old age. You don’t deserve this place.”

Kai swallowed again. “Dad…what did you come here for?”

He took a step closer. “Your mother needs you,” he said.

She shook her head. “No. I’m not going.”

“You’re a selfish bitch,” he told her. “Your own mother is ill and her own daughter refuses to look after her. Charming.”

Kai clenched her teeth together. “I have _no_ obligation to her,” she seethed. “Or to you. I have no obligations to anybody except myself.”

“Some things never change!” he snarled.

“What’s wrong with your _other_ daughter looking after her?” she demanded.

“At least she’s made something of herself, done something with her life!” he shouted. “She has a decent career, she has a husband, a lovely house…what have _you_ done? You clean up after drooling patients all day, and haven’t even got what it takes to land a boyfriend, never mind a husband!”

“Don’t you dare speak to me like that!” she yelled. “My life is my business, not yours! Whatever I do has nothing to do with you! Stay out of my life! Get my sister to do your dirty work!”

He laughed humourlessly. “She has enough in her life without taking on more responsibility. You have nothing – _your_ place is to look after your mother.”

“Not on your life!” she snapped. “I’m not going, so forget it. She never wanted me there when I lived there, so why the hell would I go back now?”

“It’s your place to go back!” he roared, inches away from her face. His eyes blazed with anger. “Call yourself a daughter? You were _never_ any use to us, and you still aren’t!”

“If that’s the case, why the hell was I even born?!”

“Because it was too fucking late to abort you!” he screamed.

Kai gasped, her eyes wide, and stepped back. “Wh…what?” she whispered. She reached behind her and gripped the worktop to steady herself. “What did you say?”

“I said it was too late to do anything about it,” he repeated furiously. “By the time your mother discovered she was pregnant again, she was too far gone. The bloody doctors wouldn’t do anything. We _had_ to have you.”

Tears burned her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall. “I always knew I never lived up to your expectations,” she said in a harsh whisper. “Now I know why.” Her body turned away as she folded her arms over her torso. “Get out.”

“You owe your mother,” he told her. “You owe her.”

“I owe her _nothing,_ ” she spat. “Not a damned thing. Go get your precious firstborn to look after her. I’m not doing it.”

He snorted in disgust. “You’re nothing but a useless waste of space,” he said. “You’ll never be successful in life, you’ll never do anything worthwhile. Even when you were a kid you were a complete fuck-up.”

“You should’ve put me up for adoption if that was how you felt,” she retaliated. “At least then I might’ve landed with a family who actually fucking wanted me!”

“No bastard would take you!” he thundered. “You were always fucking ill when you were young! Who the hell wants to take on a sick kid? Who in their right mind would even contemplate it? You’re a fucking disappointment, Kai. Always were, and always will be.”

“Get the hell out of my house,” she snarled, anger flooding through her alongside the intolerable pain she felt. “Get the hell out and don’t ever come back. You’re dead to me. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

“Enjoy your lonely life,” he shot back. “You think any man is ever going to want you? You think that if you found one you’d be able to keep him? Ha – keep dreaming. Dreaming is all you’ll ever amount to. Consider yourself disowned from this family. We don’t want you, and we never will.”

“Good. Because I don’t want or need you either,” she snapped.

As quick as a flash, her father swiped the back of his hand across her face. She cried out in pain as her cheek stung and her head whipped to the side. “Useless bitch,” he snarled, and stormed out.

The door slammed at his back and she started to cry, releasing the hurt that he’d inflicted in his short appearance. Lowering herself to her knees, she wrapped her arms around herself as she rocked back and forth, her heart breaking as the truth of what he’d said sunk in.

Both parents had treated her cruelly as a child, never giving her any support or emotional encouragement. They never hugged her. They never took her on outings. They never gave her treats.

Her sister had everything.

She was left with feeling abandoned, unwanted, and unloved. Her self-esteem was lower than what would have been deemed normal for any child. As she’d struggled through childhood, she’d learned to pull into herself and shield her thoughts and emotions from others.

When she reached her teenage years, things had become worse, until she’d been forced to seek refuge elsewhere.

Nobody had looked for her.

She dragged her hands through her hair, gasping for breath as her eyes darted around her living space, desperate for a way out and to drive back the demons she’d fought for so many years to keep at bay.

She found nothing.

*****

Thranduil swung a punch and threw his body to one side as he avoided the retaliating blow. He dropped to his haunches and rolled over, anticipating the kick that was lunged towards him. Grabbing the side of the truck next to him, he bounced back to his feet and struck another blow, grabbing his attacker and wrestling him to the ground.

“Cut…ok guys, good stuff,” Otis hollered.

The other actor grinned as he shook Thranduil’s hand. “It’s an honour to work with you, Thranduil,” he told him. “I emailed my mom last night; she’s ecstatic.”

He laughed. “I do not know why,” he joked, falling into step beside him as they headed for the make-up department.

“Oh, she has got s _erious_ hots for you – it’s quite embarrassing really,” Sidney, the actor, said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she flies out here just to drop in and say hi, and drool over you.”

The blonde tipped his head back and roared with laughter. “Oh no – perhaps you shouldn’t have told her!”

“Ha. I’d never hear the end of it when the movie comes out and she finds out you’re the lead. Honestly, she’d make my life hell,” he replied. “After you.”

He held the swing door open, ushering the much taller actor to go through before him.

“Doesn’t your father have anything to say to that?” he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Nope. He’s just happy if he gets peace and quiet,” Sidney replied. “Coffee?”

“Yes, thanks…that would go down really well,” he said, lowering himself into the chair in front of the mirror.

“Hey guys, how did the shoot go?” asked Lisa, the make-up girl.

“Great,” Sidney answered over his shoulder from the coffee machine in the corner. “I think we pulled it off pretty well.”

“We did,” Thranduil seconded. “Otis would’ve said otherwise if we hadn’t. He never misses the opportunity to moan.”

Lisa chuckled. “He’s been like a bear with a sore butt lately,” she said, sweeping a skin-toned powder over his cheeks. “Rumour has it he’s having problems with his lady.”

“I didn’t even know he had one,” he said.

She snorted softly and used her thumb to blend below his eyes. “Miracles never cease,” she remarked. “Sid, did he tell you when you’re doing the fire scene? Kyle wants to know when he has to have the prosthetics ready.”

“Uh…day after tomorrow, I think,” he said. “Here you go, Thranduil.”

“Thankyou.” He took the polystyrene cup and placed it on the counter amongst the bottles and tubs of cosmetics. Rooting around in the top drawer of the unit, he searched for his cell phone. “Damn…Bard must’ve put it in my dressing room…”

“Is your assistant being too efficient?” laughed Mark, the other make-up expert. He glanced up from applying eyeliner to one of the extras. “I’m glad I don’t have one. I like to keep track of all my own stuff, that way when I lose it I can only blame myself.”

“There’s a method in the madness somewhere there,” Lisa agreed. “I don’t have that much stuff that I’d need an assistant. As long as I can find my car keys and my phone, I’m alright.”

“Hell – half the time I can’t even find my car,” Sidney muttered.

“I won’t be long here,” Lisa said, still blending in powder. “Just a few minutes…”

“It’s ok, take your time,” Thranduil said. “It’s not urgent.”

Within a few minutes, his make-up had been retouched to a satisfactory level, and he rose from the seat, taking his coffee with him.

“Thranduil! Otis wants you over in studio B to shoot the garage scene!” one of the crew yelled out as he passed the doorway.

He groaned, shaking his head as he headed out and crossed over to the studio.

Kai would have to wait.

He would call her as soon as the shoot was finished.

*****

“Coming for a few beers, man?”

Thranduil glanced up from typing his pass number into his phone. “Uh…no, thanks,” he said. “Maybe another time. I have things I want to do tonight.”

“No trouble. Catch you later.”

He nodded as the crew member disappeared, a small smile hovering around the corners of his mouth. Accessing his phone, he flipped through the screens to find Kai’s number, stopping when he noticed he had a voice message. His smile grew bigger as he saw it was from her.

He lifted the phone to his ear, doodling small squares on a scrap piece of paper as her voice sounded.

Damned Alex.

Poor Jack hadn’t been in the ground for five minutes, and he was harping on over having his belongings taken away.

He shook his head and shifted in the seat as he listened.

The pen in his hand stilled and he shot forwards in the chair, his full attention on the recording. Frozen, he listened to the ensuing argument Kai was having with someone who appeared to be her father, their voices getting louder and hers more distressed.

The tone of the conversation grew increasingly hostile, and his mouth dropped open as the man’s horrible words settled into his mind.

*****

The SUV hurtled around the corner at the junction on Fifth and West Twenty Third, narrowly missing an oncoming truck. The horn peeped furiously, but Thranduil ignored it, and floored the vehicle instead. His heart was pounding, and his thoughts scattered all over the place.

Kai’s father had verbally destroyed her; he could tell by her heartbroken sobs once he’d heard the door slam. Trying continually to call her as he drove, his blood pressure rocketed as the same message repeated itself over and over - _The cell phone you are trying to reach is unavailable._

He drove faster.

Buildings and trees shot past as he sped through the suburbs towards her home. The panic he felt was steadily rising, making him feel nauseous and unfocused. The sooner he got to her house, the sooner he could relax and try to comfort her in whatever way she needed.

The car screeched to a halt by the sidewalk and he leapt out. He cleared the driveway in a few hurried strides, crashing the door open without knocking. A quick glance around showed no sign of her, and he came to a halt in the middle of the lounge.

“Kai?” he called, twisting and turning. “Kai!”

No answer.

A movement caught his eye, and he tilted his head as Tigra stared back at him. The cat was sitting outside the bathroom door, front paws placed neatly together as cats do, just watching him.

“What are you telling me, Tigra?” he asked softly, slowly approaching him.

The cat blinked.

He bent down to rub his head, earning himself a snuffle in response. His eyes lifted, and he found himself gazing at the handle of the bathroom door. Instinct made him reach for it, finding it locked.

“Kai?” he called, knocking on the wood. “Kai, can you hear me? Open the door.”

Silence.

He glanced down at Tigra, who hadn’t moved, and was still staring at him. One swift kick and the door flew open, splinters of wood showering in all directions.

He stopped, gasping in shock.

Kai sat on the floor, her upper body leaning over the side of the bath. Dark pink water filled the tub to half-way, the steam still rising to the ceiling. Blood was splattered all over the floor, the pristine white toilet bowl, the mirror, the walls, and along the edges of the bath. A kitchen knife lay discarded on the floor next to her.

Her eyes were closed.


	19. Chapter 19

** CHAPTER NINETEEN **

****

“Oh my God _NO_!” Thranduil roared as he took in the horrific scene in front of him. He surged forwards into the bathroom, crashed to his knees on the floor beside Kai and dragged her away from the bath.

She sagged against him, her arms flopping to her sides and her head rolling back against his arm.

“Jesus Christ – what have you _done_?” he cried.

Water splashed down the side of the tub where she’d had her arms submerged, staining the white with ugly shades of red and pink as the streams trickled to the floor.

He yanked her backwards, toppling onto his rear and taking her limp body with him. Both forearms had been slashed repeatedly and were bleeding profusely. He grabbed her wrists and held them higher, his head whipping in all directions as he searched for something to bind them with. Blind panic threatened to overtake his conscious thought, but he managed to gain some sort of control as he leaned over and whipped the matching pair of handtowels from the rail.

He glanced at her face, ashen grey and unresponsive. Her eyes were closed, dark shadows underneath flesh that was still red and swollen from where she’d been crying.

But she was breathing.

“Goddammit, Kai – you are _not_ leaving me,” he growled with determination, wrapping one of the towels tightly around her right wrist. “I will _not_ let you die!” Pinning her wrapped arm under his to hold pressure on the towel, he proceeded to wrap the second towel around her left wrist. “You are too fucking special a person, Kai – you’re too special to _me.”_

She didn’t respond, not even a flicker of her eyelids.

He tugged his phone from his back pocket, holding her against his chest with his free hand gripping both her wrists, making sure they were above the height of her heart. His breathing came in laboured, panicky gasps as he dialled and waited for the call to connect.

“Gandalf! I have an emergency,” he rushed, as soon as the line picked up. “I need you, _now.”_

A gravelly voice grumbled on the other end.

“No, I’m serious, I need you here now,” he repeated, and gave Kai’s address. “Please help me.”

The line disconnected with a promise that help would be there soon, and he choked back a sob as he wrapped both arms around the still body leaning against him in a dead weight. He knew if he took her to the hospital she’d be held against her wishes to be assessed by a psychiatrist, and more than likely they’d pump her full of drugs. He also knew she’d have no privacy if he took her; all eyes would be on him and she wouldn’t get the care and the rest that she desperately needed.

Within a quarter of an hour, his head lifted as he heard the screech of brakes, and seconds later shouting.

“In here,” he called.

The figure followed his voice, coming to a sudden stop in the doorway. “Dear God, Thranduil…what have you got yourself mixed up in?”

He swallowed, shaking his head. “Help her, Gandalf – _please._ Do something, just please help her.” Unshed tears burned his eyes.

The old man eyed him as he leaned over, checking Kai’s carotid pulse. “Steady, but a little weak for my liking,” he murmered. “We need to move her, losing as little blood as possible. She’s lost more than enough by the looks of things.” A critical eye surveyed the blood-splashed bathroom. “Her own doing, I assume?”

Thranduil scowled at him as he shifted, lifting her in his arms as he rose to his feet. “You honestly think that _I_ did this?!” he demanded.

“No, you lanky great cretin,” he replied. “Do not be ridiculous. I meant no-one else was here?”

He shook his head as he carried her through to her bedroom. “No. She was alone when I got here. I found her slouched over the bath with her arms under the water.”

Gandalf lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed, lifting the arm closest to him. “I’ll need some fresh towels, plenty of them,” he said. “And some fresh, clean water.”

The blonde muttered as he hurried from the room, having no idea where she kept her towels. He returned a few minutes later, a pile of them draped over one arm, carrying a basin of clean water.

“Just set them there,” Gandalf instructed. His concentration was focused on the damage Kai had done to herself as he inspected the wounds. “These aren’t as deep as I thought,” he murmered, almost to himself. He glanced up at Thranduil. “She’s right handed. And she wanted to die.”

Ice blue eyes watched every move as his friend quickly but thoroughly cleaned her wrist, washing away blood that had dried on to her skin. “Well I wouldn’t have thought she’d have locked herself in the bathroom of an empty house to do this if she’d wanted otherwise,” he said.

“I’m talking more about the way she cut herself,” he said gruffly. “She cut her right wrist first, knowing she has more strength in her right to still be able to inflict damage to the left while wounded.”

Kai lay motionless on her back, oblivious to everything as she remained unconscious.

“Hand me my bag,” Gandalf said.

Thranduil wordlessly picked it up and handed it to him. “I’ll hold her,” he said softly, and gripped her wrist to allow him both hands to root around in his medical supplies. A steady stream of warm blood flowed over his already stained fingers.

“Keep a hold of her other arm for now,” the doctor said, taking the one he held. “Try to staunch the blood while I stitch this.”

He quickly circled the bed, sitting beside her and lifting her arm, holding it tightly against him.

“Dare I ask how this came about, and how you happened to be involved in this?” Gandalf asked as he worked.

“She called me,” he whispered. “She left a voicemail on my phone – I was in the middle of a shoot. Someone interrupted her, her father by the way she addressed him. He said some really horrible things to her.”

“Words can hurt more deeply than a weapon,” his friend remarked after a few moments’ silence. “It must have been truly terrible to drive someone to attempt to take their own life in such a way.”

He nodded, swallowing. “It was. I heard it all. Every rotten, evil word of it.”

“Has she shown any indication previously of being in this frame of mind?”

His head shook to say no, his long hair drifting over her as he moved. “No. She’s a strong person, a beautiful person inside and out,” he said. “She always puts other people first. She’s so dedicated to what she does.”

“Which is?” Skilled hands worked quickly and efficiently.

“She looks after old people,” he answered softly.

Gandalf’s hands still for a fraction of a second. “Is she the one who looked after Charlie’s father?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. That answers many questions,” he said decidedly. “Thorin was telling me of her and her commitment to her work the last time I spoke with him. Commendable.”

A silence settled over them as he worked, making sure the wounds were clean before stitching them. The arm he held had three slashes.

“I’ll have to ask you to move,” he said eventually, laying her hand back on top of the quilt.

Thranduil stood and maintained his hold on her wrist as Gandalf settled himself in his place and prepared to tend to her. Releasing her to him, he stood watching his every move.

“You can go and wash your hands, you know,” the older man said dryly, not looking up. “Else the smell of blood will curdle every stomach within a five mile radius.”

Sighing softly, he followed the advice and went through to the kitchen to wash his hands and arms. He couldn’t face the bathroom, not yet. Going back through, he stood in the doorway drying his hands.

“What do you intend to do with her?” Gandalf questioned, his back to him as he stitched. “Are you going to stay with her? Hospitalise her?”

“I will not put her in hospital,” he said immediately. “That is not what she needs right now.” He paused, considering his options. “I will take her to stay with me.”

His friend’s head slowly lifted and turned. “Is that wise?”

“Fuck wise,” he hissed, and tossed the towel aside as he approached the bed. “I am doing what is right for her, not anyone else.”

“I am merely thinking that if the media get wind of-“

“Fuck them!” Flames of fury blazed to life in his ice blue eyes. “I do not care about them. I care about Kai. I care about what is best for her, what she needs to heal and recover from this.”

Gandalf shrugged and turned back to finish his task. “I am not judging,” he muttered.

Thranduil huffed behind him. “I will pack some clothing for her,” he thought aloud, and began rifling through the closet. Deciding that joggers and her favoured vest tops would be comfortable for her, he folded several sets and placed them into a hold-all, along with clean underwear and basic toiletries. Anything else she needed he could get for her if he didn’t already have it.

He took the bag out to his car, taking a deep breath as he slammed the trunk closed and turned his eyes skywards.

Kai was going to need him more than she would realise.

He took his phone out of his pocket and dialled. “Otis. It’s Thranduil.”

*****

He sat in a comfortable armchair, one long leg crossed over the other, his elbow leaning on the arm, his chin resting on his hand. Ice blue eyes never strayed from the unconscious woman lying in his bed with the soft quilt pulled over her. Both arms rested on top of the cover, wrapped tightly in fresh bandages.

He’d changed them twice since Gandalf had accompanied them to the house, helping him settle her and leaving the supplies he might need, along with instructions to change the bandages if she continued to bleed, and to call him if it worsened or showed no signs of slowing down.

The dressings remained pure white, and he inwardly hoped that her flesh was slowly starting to knit back together, helped by the sutures holding her wounds tightly closed.

He’d waited until his doctor friend had left before carefully peeling off her blood-soaked outer clothing, leaving her in her underwear. Gentle hands had carefully washed and dried her, cleansing her of the last remnants of what she’d done to herself.

The silence had dragged on as he’d taken his position in the chair across from his bed, seeming to go on forever as he waited.

Long lashes blinked as he sat there.

Otis had exploded and gone crazy during his phone call. He’d screamed about time restraints, budgets, deadlines, and everything else he could think of to yell about. Thranduil had said nothing, waited until he’d stopped for a breath, then told him with quiet dignity that he would call him once his personal problems were sorted.

Then he’d disconnected the call, turning the phone off completely.

Kai stirred slightly; just a twitch of her hand.

Then her arm moved.

Very slowly, her eyes flickered open.

He moved his hand, lowering it to the arm of the chair, still watching her.

Her gaze locked with his, and he could see a million different emotions flicker across the dark blue.

A few seconds ticked past, and she abruptly rolled over away from him.

He rose from the seat and took two steps towards the bed, sitting on the edge of it at her back. “Kai,” he said softly. His hand rested on her upper arm.

She didn’t respond.

“How do you feel?”

She didn’t answer.

“Kai, I’m not going to go away,” he said. “I have all the time in the world.”

Stoney silence was her answer.

“I have limitless patience, and nothing you tell me would ever go any further,” he said, still in the same soft, gentle tone. “I want to help you.”

“I don’t want any help,” she whispered after a long silence.

“Yes, you do,” he told her. “And I _will_ help you. You have no choice.”

She flipped back onto her back, furious eyes glaring up at him. “I made my choice,” she said hoarsely.

“And it was the wrong one.” His soft words brought tears to her eyes, and she rolled away from him again.

“It was _my_ choice to make,” she said.

“There are people who need you, people who depend on you, rely on you,” he said. “What would they have done if you were successful?”

One shoulder lifted in a semi shrug. “I don’t care.”

He leaned down and rested his chin on her shoulder. “I care.”

She closed her eyes, but he knew it wasn’t from tiredness; it was from utter despair, and the deep desire to close off the outside world.

Deciding that she needed some time to process the fact that she’d survived, albeit against her wishes, he slid to the edge of the bed and stood up, leaving the room.

Going downstairs to the kitchen, he ran his hands through his hair as he switched the kettle on. Her thoughts and emotions were a mess; he could tell that without even looking into her troubled eyes. Anguish poured out of her, and his heart twisted at her pain.

He made two mugs of coffee and took them back up, entering his bedroom to find the bed empty, the quilt gone. Crossing the large room, he stepped out through the floor-length curtains onto the balcony.

Kai sat curled up in the padded seat, the cover wrapped around her shoulders, staring out over the fields to the trees beyond.

He wordlessly handed one of the mugs over her shoulder, and her head turned towards it slightly. After a little hesitation, she took it from him.

He circled around her and sat next to her, leaving enough space between them that she wouldn’t feel crowded.

They sat in silence for a long time; Kai not knowing what to say, or if she should say anything at all, and Thranduil not wanting her to feel under any pressure.

“Have you ever told anyone?” he asked eventually.

She shook her head. “No.”

He took a drink of his coffee. “Any particular reason why not?”

She shook her head, swallowing as she gazed down at the mug she held. “What is there to tell? And who is there to tell?”

He took a deep breath. “There’s anything that you are comfortable telling,” he answered. “And I am here to tell.”

Her eyes lifted to his briefly, darting away again nervously.

“I heard everything that was said,” he said quietly, his gaze turning to the trees. “My voicemail picked up every word.”

“I’m sorry you had to listen to that,” she said. Her own voice was no louder than a whisper. “Nobody should have to hear the venom that comes from my dad when he’s in a mood.”

His head flipped back to her, his eyes burning with an intensity she hadn’t seen before. “His own _daughter_ should not have had to hear it,” he said. “The man is not fit to be a parent, full stop. He had no right barging into your home like that, and _no_ right to say those horrible things.”

She shrugged. “It’s done.”

“And it has left terrible damage behind,” he whispered.

Tears burned her eyes as she deliberately looked away from him. He reached over and gently touched the pad of his index finger to her chin, turning her back to him.

“Damage you can recover from, Kai,” he said softly. “You are a strong woman, yet you are not giving yourself enough credit. You can beat this, you can beat him. What you were trying to do would have made him the winner in this whole mess.”

“There are no winners.”

Her whisper broke his heart, and he struggled to hide his thoughts and emotions.

“You are wrong.”

She shook her head in determination, pulling the cover tighter around herself. “You should have left me.”

He withdrew his hand. “Why?” he demanded.

“Because I’m not worthy to be here.”

“Says who?”

“I say.”

“You are wrong.”

She gave a soft snort. “Did either of your parents treat you like shit, abandon you, neglect you, and tell you they wished they’d aborted you? No. Mine did. And I have to learn to deal with it.”

Thranduil leaned back, resting his elbow on the arm of the seat. “I think it would be best if you stayed here for a while,” he decided. “It’s far too soon for you to go back to your house, and it needs cleaning.”

She didn’t answer.

He leaned forwards again, leaning his elbows on his knees. “Kai…talk to me.”

Nothing.

“I know that you have so many things going on in your head and your heart right now, but they will only fester and grow if you try to ignore them,” he said.

“Who dealt with my cuts?” she asked suddenly, changing the subject.

He blinked. “A friend of mine. He’s a doctor, and I trust him. I did not want to take you to the hospital, else the doctors there would have sedated you and put you through all sorts of psychiatric evaluations, which I personally think is the last thing you need.”

“Why didn’t you just call the medics?” she asked. “Why go to all that trouble?”

“Because I didn’t think you needed the extra stress and trauma on top of everything else,” he replied.

“I have another question for you.”

“I know what it is,” he said, a hardness appearing in his normally gentle eyes. “I did _not_ help you because we slept together.” His mug was slammed down onto the small table at his side.

She swallowed. “You don’t know I was going to say that.”

“Judging by the colour of your face, I would say that I’ve hit the target dead-on,” he bit back.

“You can’t blame me-“

“Is that what you think of me?” he demanded angrily. “That I exchange favours for sex? Well I do not. I never have, and I never will. I see the dedication you put into caring for your patients, and I wanted you to have the same care without being put under a microscope and analysed to within an inch of your life.”

Shame flared through her body.

Thranduil’s heart sank. He saw the change in her eyes, the slight drop of her shoulders, the way she fidgeted with the cup in her hands.

“Why do you care?” she whispered.

His eyes met hers, his emotions crystal clear in the ice blue depths. “Because I think I’m in love with you.”


	20. Chapter 20

** CHAPTER TWENTY **

****

_“Because I think I’m in love with you.”_

Kai’s eyes burned as though they were on fire, and her chest constricted as her emotions overflowed. Tears trickled down her cheeks and her bottom lip trembled as she tried to draw in a breath.

Thranduil’s eyes never moved from hers.

“You can’t,” she whispered.

“Why not?” he asked.

She made a conscious effort to clamp her lips together to regain some sort of control, and turned her head to look out across the fields of his property, giving him her profile. “Because I’m too broken,” she said quietly. “I’m too damaged.”

“Too broken and damaged to be fixed? To heal?” he questioned. “You are wrong, Kai – so far wrong. There is much to work with, to repair.”

She shook her head stubbornly. “No.”

Reaching over, he took one of her hands in his, clasping it tightly as his fingers folded around it. “Listen to me,” he said. “Kai – look at me. Look at me.”

Reluctantly, she turned her head towards him.

“You have absolutely _no_ idea just how special you are,” he told her. “What your father told you – cast it out of your mind for a second. Think about the impact you have on those around you. Your friends at work, your patients, Robbie… _me._ Think about the void that would be left if you had succeeded in ending your life. Think of the heartbreak that everyone who knows you would have gone through. Think of the impact that your death would have had on every single person who has you in their life.”

She inhaled a shuddering breath.

He shook his head slowly. “Good God…you touch so many lives and you do not even realise,” he whispered. “So many people would have been devastated had you been successful.”

She looked away from him, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as she blinked. “No they wouldn’t.”

He released her hand, sliding from the seat and onto his heels in front of her, his palms on her waist. “I’m serious,” he told her. “My heart would’ve been broken forever, and I am just one person. Look at the people you know, the ones you come into contact with on a regular basis. Do you honestly think that they would not be affected? Why on earth would you think that?”

“You heard my dad,” she whispered brokenly. “I’ll never make anything of my life.”

“Bullshit!” he retaliated. “That is utter bullshit, Kai. My…oh my God…what do I have to say to make you see sense? He is just _one_ cynical person, _one._ He is not going to be in your life, so what does his opinion matter?”

“My mother has the same opinion,” she told him.

“And she is as full of shit as he is,” he replied. “Turning away from you is their loss, no-one else’s. You are better off apart from them, I honestly feel that. Anyone would be so lucky to know you, to have you around. I am.”

More tears fell. She swallowed and shook her head. “You’d never be happy with me.”

He frowned. “Why not?”

“Look at me!” she cried. “What do I have to offer? I don’t have money, I’m not a celebrity-“

“I do not wish to be with someone who is wealthy or is famous,” he interrupted. “I want to be with you.”

“I can’t compete with the others.”

“What others?” Confusion flooded through his eyes.

“All the actresses you know and work with,” she replied. “Glamorous, gorgeous women who-“

“Who have never caught my eye or turned my head yet, and I have been in my line of work for a long time,” he interrupted. “Your argument has no valid point.”

“There are thousands of beautiful actresses out there,” she said.

“And? I am not interested in any of them,” he said. “I am interested in you.”

“I’m too damaged, Thranduil,” she whispered, more tears falling. “I can’t help it. I’ve been fighting with it my whole life, and I can’t do it anymore.” Her voice broke and she lowered her head, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.

He rose up onto his knees and folded his arms tightly around her, tucking her head into the curve of his neck. “Sshhh…it’s going to be alright, baby,” he whispered. “I promise, it’s going to be alright.”

Strong, protective arms held her as she broke her heart, gripping handfuls of his shirt into her fists as she battled the demons which were very much alive inside her. Warm hands slowly rubbed up and down her back, silently encouraging her to vent her hurt so that she could start to heal. Gentle pressure of his head against hers told her without words that she wasn’t alone in her pain.

After about ten minutes had passed, her crying had lessened to tired, shuddering sobs. Throughout her heartbreak, Thranduil hadn’t moved an inch. He simply held her and comforted her without saying anything. Eventually he leaned back a little, tilting her head up and tenderly wiping his thumbs under her eyes.

“You need some rest, my little Tiger feet,” he said softly. “You are exhausted and drained, both physically and mentally.”

Scared eyes gazed up into his, and he knew what was going through her mind.

“Go and lie down in bed, and I will lie with you,” he told her. “You will not be alone, I promise. I am staying with you; you have my word.” He lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on her mouth, just a whisper of his warm flesh over hers. “Come on.”

She gulped back her tears as he slowly stood up, pulling her hands so that she stood with him. Gently turning her, he slid one arm around her waist while he held on to both of hers with his other one, guiding her back inside and across the plush light green carpet. She sat down on the bed and he lifted her legs up, settling her and tucking the quilt around her back.

“Two seconds, sweetheart, and I’ll be right with you,” he promised. “I just need to use the bathroom first.”

She heard his footsteps padding away to the en-suite bathroom, the toilet flushing, and running water as he washed his hands. A few moments later he reappeared, pulling off his shirt and removing his jeans. Her eyes closed as he slid into bed beside her, as she was unsure of what she should do.

Should she roll over away from him? Snuggle into him? Lie with her head leaning against his arm and her hand in his?

He answered her silent questions without speaking, reaching for her and pulling her closer so her head rested on his upper chest and his arms were wrapped around her.

“Sleep, little Tiger,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head. He waited until he knew she was asleep before he spoke again. “I love you.”

*****

Kai woke up to the steady sound of Thranduil breathing behind her. She lay with her back pressed tightly against his warm chest, and his strong arm a comforting weight around her middle. The rhythmic rise and fall of his chest against her as he breathed brought her a sense of calmness; an inner peace.

“Did you sleep well?” his deep voice asked.

She was a little startled. “Yes,” she replied. “How..?”

He smiled into her hair. “I felt the change in your breathing,” he told her. “I knew the moment you woke up.”

“You’ve stayed the whole time?” she asked.

“Yes. I told you I would.” He propped himself up onto one elbow, running his hand through his hair and yawning. “I’m going downstairs to make a coffee. Do you want to come with me, or are you comfortable where you are?”

“I think I’ll come down,” she answered as she stretched. “I need to use the toilet anyway.”

He flipped the quilt back as she swung her legs out of bed, lowering her head for a few seconds as she gripped the edge of the mattress. “Are you alright?”

She nodded. “Yes. Just getting my bearings, that’s all. I’m fine.”

Blue eyes watched her as she padded across the bedroom and disappeared into the bathroom. He sighed softly and got out of bed, pulling on his black robe and tying it. Lifting an identical one, he handed it to her as she reappeared.

She slid it over her shoulders. “Thankyou.”

“You’re welcome,” he murmered, and reached for her hand. Her fingers curled around his as he led her from the bedroom and down the expensively-carpeted stairs to the ground floor. “Are you hungry?”

“No.” She shook her head.

He moved to prepare coffee, and she slid herself onto a stool at the breakfast bar, looking anywhere but at him. Her hands were clasped tightly together on the smooth marble worktop, the edges of the white bandages visible under her sleeves.

Nobody spoke for a few minutes, until Thranduil slid a mug towards her and sat down across from her. His ice blue eyes watched her steadily.

“I meant what I said,” he said softly.

Her eyes flicked up to look at him, her hands having moved to cradle the hot cup.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Pain slashed over her face, and she shook her head as her eyes welled up with tears. “You can’t,” she whispered back.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the worktop, his long blonde hair sweeping the glossy surface. “Why not?”

She shook her head in determination. “I can’t get into this,” she said.

“Talk to me, Kai,” he urged. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Seconds passed.

“I can’t,” her broken whisper told him after a while. “I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?” he asked gently.

“Everything!” she cried. “Everything. I’m scared of what I feel, of what you’ll do to me, of how I’ll cope at the end of it all. I can’t think-“

“Wait, wait, wait,” he interrupted, holding up one hand. “What do you mean? Why are you scared of what you feel? What _do_ you feel?”

“Too much,” she told him. “Far too much.”

He digested her words for a few moments. “Why are you scared of what I’ll do to you? What does that mean?”

She took a deep, shuddering breath. “It means that if I give in to what I feel, it’ll give you complete control over me,” she told him. “I can’t do that, Thranduil. I’ve fought _so_ hard all my life for the control I have, and I can’t give that up to be dependent on another person. I can’t. It’d ruin me, it would destroy what soul I have left, and I can’t do that.”

“I would never control you,” he whispered, anguish in his words. “ _Never._ That’s not what a relationship is all about, and if that’s how you are conditioned to regard them, then you have been with the wrong people all this time. Relationships are about love, and respect, and helping build the other person to the best they can be. They are about encouraging them to fly with their dreams, to take chances, to live life and be happy. There is nothing about relinquishing control to someone you love. That is wrong.”

She swallowed, staring down at her mug which she twisted nervously in her hands.

His heart broke as he took in her lowered head, her slumped shoulders, her air of defeat. “What do you mean about coping at the end of it all?” He took a drink of coffee. “The end of what?”

“How could anyone get over breaking up with you?” she asked. “You’re everywhere. You’re on the tv, you’re at the cinema, you’re in the newspapers and magazines, you’re on billboards, on the internet. How can any woman go back to normal when you’re always there?!”

Dark eyebrows lowered in a deep frown. “Why are you even thinking like that? Who says we would end up like that? Kai… _I love you._ There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you, sweetheart.” He sighed, taking a deep breath as he reached over for her hand, his gaze on it as he rubbed his thumb over the edge of the bandage on her wrist. “I have been surrounded by so many fake and shallow people my entire career, and eventually I didn’t know who to trust. I withdrew into myself; it was safer. I couldn’t get hurt that way. But when I met you, I don’t know…something clicked. I felt like I had known you forever, I felt like we had some sort of common ground, even though our lives are worlds apart with our careers.” His eyes lifted to hers.

“I’m a mess,” she whispered, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “I’m not good enough for you. You need someone without all the emotional fuck-ups I carry around. You deserve somebody better than that.”

He rose to his feet, rounding the worktop between them and grasping her upper arms. Pulling her to her feet, he stared down at her. “I get to decide who I deserve,” he told her. “I get to choose who I want to be with. Nobody has any say in my lifestyle choices. You are _not_ a mess. You have some problems. Everybody has problems, and if they say that they do not, then they are lying. I will help you with your problems, I promise. I want to.”

Her head dropped, as she closed her eyes and struggled with herself. Desperately wanting to give in to him, she knew the risks involved and the devastating results if things went wrong.

He tilted her head back up, and brought his mouth so close to hers, but not quite touching. “Let me in baby, let me into your life...let me be with you...”

Her eyes closed as his hypnotic whisper wound its way through her senses, weakening her resolve and her body strength. She gasped as his mouth moved over her cheek, soft little butterfly kisses touching her. Her skin burned as his lips brushed her, skimming over her ever so slightly. Turning her head, her mouth found his and she melted into him. His hands left her jaw and slid down her body, winding around her waist and crushing her against him. Her hands tangled in his long hair, holding onto him as though he was her life force.

Pulling back, she gazed at him, panting, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.

His eyes dropped to her mouth, his nostrils flaring as he fought to control his own breathing.

“I must be crazy,” she whispered. “I must be absolutely crazy Thranduil, but I’m crazy about you...”

He smiled, the heat in his eyes intensifying. “I promise I will never ever hurt you,” he vowed, touching his forehead to hers. “I promise you will always come first in my life, and I will always be here for you. I will never let you down, and I will never lie to you.”

She closed her eyes and nodded slightly against him. “I trust you. I love you.”

She felt the air leave him as he tightened his arms around her, bringing her tighter to his body than she would have thought possible. The heat from him permeated through into her, warming her chilled being and her heart. Turning her face into his neck, she sniffed as an occasional tear rolled down her cheek.

“Do not cry my darling; it breaks my heart,” he murmered, one hand rubbing her back and the other holding the back of her head. “I have seen you cry too many times, and it kills me.” He gently swayed from side to side with her in a soothing motion. The dampness of her tears on his neck tore him apart; he didn’t want her to be upset or distressed. All he wanted to do was comfort her and take away her pain.

She slowly lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. “I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for,” she said softly. “I don’t want to disappoint you-“

Her words were halted as he crushed his mouth against hers in a deep kiss.

“You could never disappoint me,” he told her as he lifted his head again. “Never. You do not realise how special you are, my darling.” He shook his head, almost in disbelief at her ignorance over something which he thought was blatantly obvious. “And I intend to show you. I have patience, and I will do whatever it takes to make you see how amazing you are, how precious you are.”

She only saw honesty in the depths of his eyes as she gazed up at him. Closing her own eyes, she leaned her head on his shoulder, his arms tightening around her once more.

*****

Kai slept through the night without moving a muscle.

Thranduil lay next to her, his arm around her holding her against his chest as she slumbered. Knowing she desperately needed to rest and build her strength back up, he was contented to lie silently behind her. She had lost a fair amount of blood, and Gandalf had warned him on his departure that she would be tired for a few days.

His eyes opened the second he felt her move slightly. “Good morning,” he murmered into her hair.

She mumbled, shifting a little more and stretching. “Morning,” she replied, her voice heavy with sleep. “What time is it?”

“I have no idea,” he said.

“Do you not have to be at work?”

“No. I’ve taken some time away from work,” he told her.

She went still, before rolling over to look at him. “Why?”

He dropped a soft kiss onto her lips. “Because you are more important. I want to be here with you for a while,” he answered. “Work can wait.”

She frowned slightly. “Won’t you hold up filming, or get into trouble or something?”

He chuckled, tilting his head back as he looked up at the ceiling.

Her heart thumped erratically at the sight of his exposed throat, his long hair sweeping down over his shoulders.

“I do not care,” he told her flippantly, looking back down at her. “I have other priorities. And right now, one of those priorities is to feed you. You have eaten nothing in hours.”

“I _am_ a little hungry,” she admitted.

“Good. That’s a start,” he said. “Come on. I will make you a cooked breakfast.” The quilt was kicked back as he spoke, and he released her and hopped out of the bed. He handed her the robe she had worn the previous evening as he pulled his on, and took her hand as he led her downstairs.

She gasped as she neared the bottom step, as a black, fluffy bundle shot towards her, miaowing and purring. “Tigra!” Releasing Thranduil’s hand, she lowered herself to her knees and lifted the cat, burying her face in his soft coat. “Oh my God…Tigra,” she whispered.

He smiled as he stood at her side. “I called Bard and had him go over to yours and pick him up,” he told her. “Although he gave him a run for his money. He hid under your bed, then shot up the curtains in the lounge, before taking refuge on top of the kitchen cupboards.”

She laughed softly, stroking the animal who was snuggled happily in her arms. “I just hope he didn’t bite or scratch him,” she said as she stood up. “Oh shit…”

He quickly grabbed her as she wobbled, and Tigra jumped down from her hold.

“Are you ok?” he asked, frowning in concern.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “I just stood up too fast, I think. I feel really dizzy.”

“Come and sit down,” he told her, and guided her towards the dining table in the middle of the huge kitchen. He pulled out a seat for her and eased her onto it. “I’m going to make you something to eat, right now. Your body is weak after the last twenty four hours.”

She watched him moving around, chopping some chives and cracking eggs into a pan. “I’m sorry,” she said, after quite a few moments had passed.

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “Why? What for?”

“For causing all this trouble,” she answered. “It’s grief you could do without.”

He turned to face her, leaning on the worktop and folding his arms. “Kai, I would do anything for you. Absolutely anything. I am just so sorry I didn’t call you before I did. I might have been able to help, and not have you going through what you did.”

Her eyes lowered. “It’s not your fault,” she told him.

He moved to lean his hands on the table in front of her. “It’s not your fault either,” he said softly, making her look back up at him. “The bastard whose name is on your birth certificate is to blame. What he said are words that should _never_ have been uttered to another living, breathing soul. He is evil through and through. No father should ever even think such things, let alone voice them. I know it is difficult, my love, but try to cast his words aside for a little while. Concentrate on eating something, and building your strength back up. Tigra needs you. I need you.”

The cat had wandered underneath the table as he talked, winding himself around her crossed ankles. His long fluffy tail tickled her bare legs as he moved.

She nodded in determination. “Ok. I will,” she promised. “I will.”

“Good.” He leaned towards her, dropping a tender kiss on her mouth. “Now I shall see about feeding you.”


	21. Chapter 21

** CHAPTER TWENTY ONE **

****

Thranduil lay back on the grass with his hands behind his head. His eyes rested on Kai, who was seated beside him. She had her knees pulled up, her arms wrapped around them as she stared up at the trees they were sheltering beneath. A gentle breeze shifted the leaves as it floated through the branches.

“I have something I want to say,” she said, breaking the still, peaceful air around them. Her head turned, and she looked down at him. “Thankyou.”

He frowned and sat up. “Why do you thank me?” he asked, puzzled.

“Because of what you did,” she answered. “And you’re taking a chance with me.”

He stared at her for a few seconds, stunned. “Kai…I do not understand,” he said slowly. “Any good friend would have saved your life. And I helped you because I love you, I need you. You have no need to be grateful…good God.”

Her eyes lowered as she picked a few blades of grass. “But I am,” she admitted. She took a deep breath. “I never thought I would be, but here I am. And more surprising, I’m actually glad I’m here…with you.” Dark blue eyes looked shyly into his, before darting away again.

He leaned his weight on one hand and tipped her chin back towards him with the other. “I love you so much,” he whispered. “More than you could _ever_ imagine, my darling. You have touched my heart in a way that no other has ever done.”

“I can’t understand it,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “Of all the people-“

“I have told you, _none_ of them made me even consider looking twice,” he interrupted. “Ever since my messy divorce years ago, I completely closed off to those around me, mate-wise. I was not looking for a partner, I was not looking to fall in love. But then along you came, and flipped everything upside down and inside out.” He smiled. “And I would have it no other way.”

A light dusting of pink flushed her cheeks. “I’m not an easy project,” she told him in a low voice.

“You are not a project. You are the woman I am deeply in love with, and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy,” he corrected her, leaning towards her and gently rubbing his full mouth over hers. “Perhaps one day you will see what an amazing person you really are.”

“I’ve always been led to believe otherwise.”

He tilted his head slightly, waiting for her to continue.

“I always knew from being really small that something was different,” she told him. She turned and sprawled out on the grass, folding her hands over her abdomen and gazing up at the sky behind him. “My older sister was spoiled rotten, and I was treated like shit. My parents really resented me, and it showed.”

He took a deep breath, lying down beside her and propping himself up on one elbow.

“They used to take Keira on days out, buy her things, give her treats,” she went on. “They even bought her a puppy; a gorgeous golden retriever.”

“And you got nothing?” he prompted as she stopped.

She nodded. “Nothing. I got used to not looking for anything, not expecting anything,” she replied. “My parents never came to my school parents’ meetings, never showed any interest in how I was doing at school. I was never allowed to have friends over – not that I had many; I wasn’t allowed out after school or on weekends. My life was basically stuck in my bedroom, reading.”

A small vertical crease appeared between his eyebrows as he frowned ever so slightly. “How were you expected to grow, to flourish, to find yourself?”

“I wasn’t. I don’t know what they wanted for me or expected of me, but I had no opportunities to expand my mind,” she said. “I started borrowing books from the school library, books on healthcare and such like, and studied them.” She stopped, heaving a deep sigh. “When I was sixteen, I met a guy, a new student in school who didn’t know how weird everybody regarded me. We hit it off, and got on really well. I think I probably fell in love with him, a little bit.”

She rolled over, propping herself up on her elbows beside him. “I was seen holding hands with him on the way home from school, and my parents totally freaked out. My dad belted the crap out of me and I was picked up and dropped off after that. The guy lost interest, and moved on to someone else. Someone with a normal social life.”

Thranduil sighed softly.

“Keira used to tell me that my mother had no idea she was pregnant with me…apparently she’d been having periods and whatnot as normal, and didn’t know I was on the way,” she continued. “Maybe what my dad said was right – by the time it was confirmed, it was too late to get rid of me.”

He lowered himself down onto his side and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his body. “I am so glad they didn’t get rid of you,” he whispered.

She smiled sadly. “But I paid the price for it,” she said. “I ran away when I was seventeen, to my uncle’s. Well, he was my dad’s uncle, and he was the only decent one in the family. Nobody looked for me, nobody filed a missing person’s report. I quit school and worked in a packaging plant for a year, before finding my own apartment.”

He shifted his head so his nose was touching hers, and gazed into her eyes, too close to focus properly.

“My uncle passed away and left me the house,” she said.  “My parents went mental. They wanted it, and tried to contest the will, but they lost.”

“It’s a beautiful little house, made all the more beautiful because of who it belongs to,” he said softly. “He did the right thing by leaving it to you. Your parents didn’t deserve it. You did.”

She shrugged. “Keira started emailing me about five or six months ago, saying that my mother was ill and needed me at home to take care of her. I refused. She began calling me, texting me, emailing me all the time, so I just ignored them. Apparently my mother has chronic kidney failure, and is bed-ridden in between dialysis.”

“Why should you look after her? She did not look after you when you were a child, needing her to be there for you,” he said.

“Keira’s busy with her career, her husband, and her kids,” she answered. “I’m expected to step up and take her place.”

He snorted. “The choice is yours, my darling,” he said. “I would never force you to make a decision, or judge you on whatever choice you made. But I would not be happy if you were to take on that responsibility.”

“I couldn’t,” she said with a shake of her head. “There’s far too much resentment and poison there. I couldn’t do it.”

A gentle hand caressed her cheek. “I will support you on any decision you make,” he told her. “On any matter. You have been neglected, my love, and that stops now. No more.”

The corner of her mouth lifted in a slight smile. “I love you,” she said. “I didn’t want to admit it, least of all not to myself, but I do.”

“I’m so glad that you did,” he murmered, tilting his head a little to kiss her. “I am so glad.”

She closed her eyes and relaxed in his arms, the thrill of longing shooting through her as he gently drew her lower lip in between his and sucked softly. A murmer sounded from her as her pleasure deepened.

Pulling back a little, he smiled as he gazed at her. “I think that you are the most amazing, gifted, caring person in the world,” he told her. “What you have done with your life is outstanding, and the care that you give to others is way above and beyond the call of duty. I shall _never_ forget the support you gave me regarding Charlie; going with me to see him, being there at the funeral…Kai, that speaks volumes about who you are as a person. Do not ever let anyone bring you down, because anyone who does has no idea of the heart that beats inside you.”

Dark blue stared into ice blue, and she knew instinctively that he was speaking from his heart.

She lifted a hand and touched her fingertips to his cheek with a small smile. “I just hope that I never give you cause to be disappointed in me,” she whispered.

“You could never disappoint me,” he told her. “I have every faith in you as a person, Kai. I know that your soul is pure and that you have taken your childhood and used how you were treated to your advantage. You make a point of making sure that those around you do not have the same treatment that you had, and that’s a commendable trait. I’m just so sorry that I did not know of the war that you were fighting within yourself.”

Her eyes lowered. “I never told anyone,” she said. “I was too ashamed, because for a long time I thought that I was to blame. And being honest, sometimes I still do.” She looked back at him, as he shook his head in determination.

“No, you are _not_ to blame; do not ever think that,” he said firmly. “No child asks to be born into such a horrible family, or to be neglected or abandoned. Every child deserves love, support, guidance – intrinsic things which your parents should have given to you but failed in their task. A child is a blessing, not a burden, and not something to be punished for his or her existence.”

“I wish my family had thought like you do,” she said wistfully.

He blinked a few times, lost in his own thoughts for a few seconds. “You do not need them,” he said eventually. “You have a new family. Me, Tigra, and the two crazy mutts who act like they are royalty.” A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, curving his lips upwards. “We are all you need, my darling. I will prove it to you.”

*****

Thranduil and Kai walked back after an hour or so, holding hands as they crossed the fields towards his impressive house. She felt as though a hefty weight had been lifted from her shoulders during the time she’d spent talking with him, and the air around her was a little easier to breathe.

He too felt a difference; her gait was more relaxed, and some of the tension seemed to have drained from her body. An occasional smile had flitted over her features as they’d talked, and her eyes had gradually lost the haunted, troubled look that had lived in the blue depths since her attempt to end her life.

“I feel better,” she said suddenly.

He glanced down at her. “I’m glad,” he told her. “Whatever we have to do to keep you feeling better, we will do it. Nothing is off-limits. If you want to go shopping, we will go shopping. If you want to sleep all day, that is fine. Whatever you want to do, we will do it.” A smile accompanied his promise.

“What I really want to do is have a bath and then sleep,” she admitted, swinging their joined hands between them. “But I can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked with a puzzled frown.

“I slept all night,” she answered.

“Kai…you lost a lot of blood, my darling,” he said gently. “You _will_ be tired. You must rest while your body tries to repair itself. There is nothing wrong with that.”

“Maybe not,” she agreed.

“I have an idea. I will prepare a bath for you, and I will help you,” he decided. “You shouldn’t really get your bandages or your wounds wet, my love. Not for a while. I will help you to bathe.”

She glanced up at him. “You’d do that for me?”

He stopped, holding her gaze. “I’d do anything for you,” he whispered. “Anything you asked me to.”

Her heart thumped an irregular rhythm and she swallowed as she felt her emotions rear to the surface again. Tearing her eyes from his, she kept pace with him as they resumed walking.

Once they’d reached his home, he kept to his word and ran a warm bath for her, adding generous amounts of scented oil which turned the water into a mass of bubbles. Kai peeled her clothes off and took the hand Thranduil held out to steady her as she stepped into the tub. The hand holding hers tightened, and the other placed against her lower back as she sat down with a sigh of pleasure.

“Thankyou,” she said, turning to look at him as he knelt down on the floor beside her.

“Stop thanking me for everything,” he said, picking up the sponge and squirting gel onto it. The green bottle was placed on the edge of the bath. “I want to do this. This is a pleasure for me to take care of you. Accept that.”

She nodded in acknowledgement, a small smile hovering. “I just-“

“I know,” he interrupted, although his tone was gentle. The sponge spread lather over her back as he moved in slow, sweeping strokes over her skin.

Taking his time and moving at a leisurely pace, he immersed himself in his chosen task of washing her, lifting both arms up individually and cleansing them then rinsing them, placing them back carefully to rest on the edges of the bath. Her eyes followed his movements, with nothing being said between them as he worked. A comfortable silence settled in the bathroom, with the only sound being the water as he swished it around and squeezed it from the sponge.

Once he was content, he pulled the plug in the tub and held both hands out. Kai held onto them and stepped out onto the luxuriously soft rug, and he lifted a huge, fluffy towel. Wrapping it around her, he poked one corner in and lifted a smaller one, taking her back through to the bedroom.

“Sit down,” he told her, and proceeded to dry her arms, shoulders, feet, and legs.

She stood again once he was finished and dropped the towel. Gentle hands dried her back, following the sweeping curves as he moved.

The smaller towel appeared over her right shoulder. “You can dry your front,” he said, and something in his voice made her turn her head.

“What’s wrong?” she asked with a slight frown.

“Nothing.” He stepped away from her and busied himself rinsing out the bath and replacing bottles.

Her frown deepened a little as she dried herself; something about his voice had sounded off. He remerged from the bathroom and crossed the room, taking her robe from inside a spacious closet.

She took it from him and slid her arms into it, tying the sash and keeping her eyes averted from his. He seemed rather awkward, almost as though he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“Um…can I make a coffee?” she asked hesitantly.

He nodded. “Of course. You do not need to ask. Treat this place as you would your own,” he said. “I’ll make it for you?”

“No, I’d like to do it,” she replied, with a forced smile. “I’ll make you one as well.” Stepping past him, she left the bedroom and headed downstairs.

Behind her, Thranduil took a deep breath and closed his eyes, fighting for control. She needed time to heal, both in body and mind. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he opened his eyes again and forced himself to follow her.

Downstairs, she was chatting to Tigra as she prepared the coffee, with the black cat winding himself round and round her legs as she talked.  He hesitated briefly in the doorway, his gaze travelling from her head to her bare feet and back up again.

“I’ll make you something to eat,” he said. “You will be starving.”

“No, honestly, I’m not,” she said, glancing up at him as she petted Tigra. “To be honest, I thought I might have my coffee and lie down for a wee while…if you’re ok with that.”

“Kai, my darling…you do not have to ask,” he said, anguish in his voice and his eyes as he stepped towards her. He extended both hands towards her, taking hers in a firm, warm hold. “Baby…I brought you here so you could heal and find yourself again. You do whatever you wish, whenever you wish. You do not have to seek my permission for _anything._ ”

She gazed up at him, lost in the ice blue eyes that held hers. “I don’t want to feel like I’m crowding you or upsetting your routine,” she said.

“You aren’t, I promise, you aren’t,” he stressed. “I love having you here. I don’t think you realise just how much I feel for you, sweetheart. I absolutely _worship_ you – I can’t explain it. You mean everything to me, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather you were right now, than by my side.”

A tender smile curved her lips. “I love you too,” she whispered. Her fingers tightened around his. “I never thought I’d ever meet you in real life, but look at us…I still can’t believe it sometimes.”

He stepped closer, freeing one of her hands and lifting his to slide around the side of her neck. “Believe it,” he whispered back. “You’ve taken over my entire life, and even though you’ve turned me upside down, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” The distance between them lessened and he softly kissed her, his warm mouth gentle and tender against her own. “Now go up and get comfortable, and I will bring your coffee up, alright? No more doubting yourself.”

Her smile widened as a pink blush tinted her cheeks. “Ok,” she replied, and slowly untangled herself from his hold.

He watched her go, his jaw clenching hard as she disappeared from his line of sight.

This was going to be harder than he’d originally thought.

*****

A few hours later, Kai rolled over onto her back and yawned, stretching as she opened her eyes. The daylight was more muted than when she’d settled into bed, and she guessed evening was fast approaching. Her head turned and her eyes settled on Thranduil, who was sitting cross-legged on the bottom of the bed with his laptop balanced on the quilt in front of him.

He glanced up at her with a smile. “How do you feel?” he asked. “You’ve slept like a baby for most of the afternoon.”

“Sorry about that,” she said with a sheepish smile. “My stomach woke me up. I still feel tired though, but I’ll wake up once I’ve had a coffee.”

He closed the laptop down and shifted it aside. “Perhaps coffee wouldn’t be a great idea; maybe something with a little less caffeine so you can still sleep through the night,” he told her. “I made some chicken pasta while you were asleep…do you feel up to having some?”

“I’d love that,” she said enthusiastically as she sat up. “I feel like I haven’t eaten for days and days.”

“I’m glad your appetite is coming back,” he said. “Gandalf called earlier to see how you are.”

“I hope you gave him my gratitude for what he did,” she said.

He smiled. “It is not required, however he is highly pleased at your progress,” he told her. “I think he’s going to try and pop in tomorrow, when he has the time. He wants to have a look at your wounds to see how they are healing.”

She held her hands in front of her, twisting her wrists and flexing her fingers. “It feels like everything works ok,” she decided, and lifted her eyes to his. “I guess I didn’t consider what the consequences might be if I survived.” Her voice was quieter, and she swallowed her nerves away. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”

A second or two passed before he spoke.

“People who are so desperate usually would not, I would imagine,” he said softly. “I suppose the ultimate goal at that point in time is to escape from the pain and the suffering, to make it all stop and go away. The possibility of surviving wouldn’t really come into it, I suppose.”

“No, it didn’t for me,” she agreed. Her gaze shifted to the wall behind him. “All I could think about was ending everything, just stopping the world and getting off for good. I didn’t want to face up to what my dad had said to me, because I knew it was true.”

His eyes narrowed. “What was true?”

“That they never wanted me,” she answered. “And what he said was right; I _was_ always sick when I was small. No foster or adoptive parent would want to take on a kid like that.”

“I disagree,” he replied. “As long as you are aware that that’s _all_ he was right about. The rest of what he said was utter nonsense. You do so much in your life and make such a difference to everyone. I truly hope that you know that.”

She inhaled through her nose, her eyes moving back to his. “I don’t know if I’d be as enthusiastic about it as you, but I get what you’re saying,” she said decidedly.

“Good,” he said, moving off the bed. “I’m going to heat up your pasta. Shall I bring it up here?”

She was about to say no, but caught the look in his eyes and knew that he knew she didn’t really want to get out of bed. “Please,” she agreed with a grin. “I’d like that.”

“Then consider it done, my lady,” he said, and leaned down to give her a kiss. “I won’t be long.”

He returned within a short space of time, carrying two plates heaped with chicken pasta and a bottle of coke under his arm. They settled facing each other on the bed, and tucked into their meal. He was pleased to see her wolfing her food down, whereas she’d only been picking previously.

“Your appetite is coming back,” he observed with a smile. “That’s good.”

“Mmm,” she agreed through a mouthful. “I’m absolutely starving.”

His smile stayed in place as he went back to eating, but she watched him as she chewed. Something was wrong, and he was trying his level best to hide it from her.

“Thranduil,” she said softly, and he glanced back up at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said with a puzzled frown. “Why would you think that something’s wrong?”

“I’m not sure,” she said slowly. “You just seem…different somehow. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

He scoffed. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“Ok,” she sighed, and shifted her empty plate to the bedside unit as she took the coke bottle from him for a drink. “I’m going to settle for the night…are you turning in soon?”

“Yes, I will,” he answered. “I’m pretty worn out myself, even though I’ve had a relatively lazy day.” A cheeky grin lit up his face as he moved to lift her plate from the unit. “I’ll take these back downstairs, and be back in a minute or two.”

Dark blue eyes followed his back as he left the room.

By the time he returned, she’d turned the lights out and lit a solitary candle. The soft light flickered and cast shadows on the pale walls, giving off a cosy atmosphere. She lay on her left side facing the window, and kept quiet as he undressed and slid into bed behind her. The mattress moved as he settled his weight and pulled the quilt up over his torso.

Her eyes closed briefly as he abruptly turned onto his right side, facing the opposite direction. Taking a deep breath, she rolled towards him and placed a hand gently against the smooth skin of his back.

His body stiffened, and she jerked away.

“Thranduil?” she asked, her upset clear in the single word.

He hesitated before rolling onto his back and turning his head towards her.

“What have I done wrong?” she whispered. “And don’t tell me nothing – you froze when I touched you. Do I disgust you _that_ much, that you don’t want any physical contact?”


	22. Chapter 22

** CHAPTER TWENTY TWO **

****

Ice blue eyes blinked in the dim light, and his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed. “You have done nothing wrong,” he said softly.

“Then why don’t you want me to touch you? Why have you been different since we came back from our walk earlier?” she asked. Her eyes were clouded with pain, and his heart wrenched as he read that pain.

His body twisted so he was on his side facing her, and he lifted a hand up to gently caress her cheek. “You have got it all wrong,” he whispered. “So far wrong, my darling.”

Her internal fight to control her emotions was crystal clear.

“I _do_ want you to touch me,” he said huskily. “So damned much it’s burning an inferno inside me, and the only way I can control it is to keep a distance between us. I ache for you Kai, and I don’t know what the hell to do with myself. Helping you in the bath earlier almost drove me out of my mind; I just wanted to take you right there and then and take us both to cloud nine. But you need time and space to find yourself again, and to heal, and my sexual urges just have to be kicked to the back burner until such time.”

Her eyes burned as tears welled up, and he shook his head slightly as the candle-light reflected off the moisture.

“Do not ever think that I do not want your touch,” he said softly. “I want it more than anything, I need it more than the air I breathe. I just wanted to give you time, my love. That is all.”

She moved slowly, shifting closer across the bed towards him, and tipped her mouth up to his. His lips parted immediately, a soft gasp escaping from him. The tension practically thrummed through his body, but he held himself in check. The hesitant touch of her tongue against his shattered everything.

His arms shot around her and he rolled her over onto her back with a low growl, deepening the kiss and pushing his thigh between hers. Her hands swept over his broad shoulders as she absorbed the heat and strength that lay under the silky soft skin. His weight on her was both comforting and sensual, and she wriggled slightly below him as she fought to tighten the already intimate contact.

Soft whispers of love echoed around them as he kissed his way down her neck, tightening his arms around her as he moved.

“I need you so much,” he said huskily as his warm mouth skimmed over her flesh. “I cannot think…”

Her head tipped back and her knees lifted, enclosing him in the comfortable valley between. “I need you too,” she gasped, her eyes closed in pleasure. “I need to touch you.”

“I’m going to be selfish and say that I’m touching first,” he chuckled, still kissing her skin. “I want to show you the other side of the stars, my darling. I want you screaming as you come for me. I want you to never want to leave my side, ever.”

“Maybe I already don’t,” she whispered.

He lifted his head and gazed up at her, and she could see flames of blue fire burning in his eyes. Seconds passed before he went back to exploring. Her body twisted as his mouth trailed hot kisses down over her abdomen, and lower.

Strong hands parted her thighs wider as he settled himself on his side between her legs and swept his long, silky hair over one shoulder. “Then allow me to reiterate that for you,” he whispered, and leaned towards her.

She jerked as his tongue brushed over her clitoris, sending shards of intense pleasure through her entire body. Her fists clutched the sheet below her in a death grip as he licked her with slow, lazy strokes designed to torment the hell out of her. Deep murmers of satisfaction purred from the back of his throat as he tasted her, his body harder for her than he’d ever have thought possible.

She bit her lower lip, hard, as he added gentle fingers to his foreplay. Her body welcomed him as he eased two digits inside, twisting and curving to find her pleasure spots and finding them within seconds. Nonsensical babble floated past him as he worshipped her, making him smile to himself.

Lifting her knees higher, her back arched up off the bed as her hips moved against him. Desperation to eliminate any possibility of any miniscule gap between them, her body shuffled deeper into his erotic touch.

“I think my little tiger needs to purr,” he murmered. “I think she needs to roar.”

She almost howled in frustration as he ceased his sensual licks and lifted his upper body, crawling up over her. Her hands gripped his upper arms as he crushed her mouth under his, and her legs automatically wrapped around his hips.

Pulling back with a cry, she gazed up into his eyes as he slowly pushed into her wet heat, his eyes unblinking as he stared back into hers. Her body stretched to accommodate him, and she’d never felt so good. His hands fisted on the bed on either side of her as he clenched his jaw, concentrating on taking his time as opposed to slamming into her hard and fucking her as though the next day would never arrive.

He swallowed as her internal muscles gripped him and enticed him deeper, until he was buried to the hilt and his pubic bone pressed snugly against hers. Only then did he allow himself to take a deep breath.

Words failed her as he began to move with slow, rolling thrusts, his eyes never leaving hers. Sparks shot through her as she moved in response. His long hair slid over his shoulders and caressed her bare skin, heightening her senses as it swished over her with each thrust of his hips.

Time seemed to stop, and the planet seemed to cease turning.

The two of them focused on each other, with nothing intruding on the intimate bubble that cocooned them. Deep blue eyes locked with ice blue ones, exploring fingers moved over strong arms and a solid chest, and powerful but gentle thrusts catapulted her body towards a level of euphoria that she couldn’t explain.

“Thranduil,” she gasped on a whisper. “Thranduil…I need…oh my God…”

His full mouth curved into a sensual smile. “I know what you need, my love,” he whispered back. “And I shall give it…”

Her whole body twitched as she felt the change in her, her orgasm creeping up closer and closer with each forward movement of his hips. Digging her fingers into his hair, she dragged him down to her and smashed her mouth against his in a desperate, open-mouthed kiss. His tongue immediately pushed inside, twisting and turning around hers in rhythm with his movements. She whimpered as her body tightened, and he moved faster as he felt her tremble against him.

As quick as a flash, he shifted his weight to one elbow beside her and tangled his free hand into her hair, holding her still as she cried out into his kiss, her body exploding around him. She thrashed wildly as the spasms ripped through her, prolonged and intensified as he pounded harder into her. Within seconds, he growled a long, low rumble as he emptied everything he had inside her. Stars burst behind his closed eyelids as the world tipped off-kilter, and his hammering heartbeat thundered in his ears.

Collapsing onto his side, he pulled her with him, still buried deep within her and still throbbing in the aftermath of a climax of earthquake proportions. His chest heaved as he panted for air, and he ran a hand down his face.

“I love you.”

The soft, almost inaudible whisper made him open his eyes, and he turned his head to look down at her. “I love you too, my darling,” he replied, his voice low. “More than you know.”

She smiled a lazy smile and trailed her fingertips down his chest. The feeling of sheer utter contentment flowed through her, giving her a sense of peace and purpose that she never thought she’d find again.

“Sleep, my little tiger,” he said softly as he kissed the top of her head. “Tomorrow is a new day, a new opportunity for us to make new memories, have new experiences.”

Her eyelids drifted closed and the last thing she remembered was the warmth of his hand as he slowly slid it up and down the curve of her back.

*****

“I’m pleased with the healing process so far, my dear,” Gandalf observed as he inspected Kai’s wrists. Both arms were held in a firm but gentle grasp as the old man studied the vicious slash marks left behind from the knife she’d used. His faded blue eyes lifted to hers. “You heal remarkably quickly. And you were lucky that Thranduil found you when he did, else you would not be here.”

A pink blush tinged her cheeks as she looked away from him.

“There is no need to tell her this,” the blonde remarked from where he stood on the other side of the massive lounge. His backside rested against the window ledge, his arms folded over his broad chest. “I think she is well aware of the ramifications had she not been found.”

“I do not mean to push a sore point,” the doctor told him. “I merely point out how luck was on her side at a crucial time. Nothing more.”

“She is aware,” Thranduil repeated, pushing himself away from the window and crossing the floor towards them. “How long before the bandages can be taken off for good?”

Gandalf twisted his mouth as he considered the question. “I would say at the very least, another week,” he replied. “Normally I would say nearer to two, but she’s healing amazingly fast. Are you putting the antibiotic ointment on like I instructed?”

“Yes, twice a day,” he answered. “Then re-bandaging.”

The doctor nodded his approval as he wrapped fresh dressings round her wrists. “Good. I’ll be looking at removing the sutures after about ten to fourteen days, all being well. How do you feel within yourself, my dear? Are you suffering from any ill-effects?”

“I’m just tired a lot,” she said, looking back at him. “I sleep like it’s an Olympic sport.”

Thranduil smiled.

“That is nothing to worry about,” Gandalf told her. “Your body heals when it sleeps, so if you feel tired, just go and lie down and rest. Listen to what your body is telling you, and give in to it when it asks for something.”

“I have told her to take as much rest and sleep as she needs,” Thranduil spoke up. “There are no work pressures here, no financial worries, nothing which should stress her enough to stop her from sleeping.”

“I am glad to hear it,” the older man said. “I will give you a certificate to send to your place of work, my dear, stating that you are not fit for duty. You cannot even contemplate returning at this point in time; you must take some time for yourself.”

She nodded reluctantly. “Would work not give me something to concentrate on?” she asked. “Maybe take my mind off things?”

One bushy eyebrow lifted. “That is what that human tree-trunk over there is for,” he said dryly, indicating Thranduil with a tilt of his head. “I am sure he will be successful in distracting you when the need arises.”

“Don’t be disgusting, old man,” he muttered.

Kai grinned.

“ _You_ took that to mean something explicit,” Gandalf shot back. “I did not mention _anything_ along those lines. It is simply your filthy mind at work, my friend. Nothing else.”

The blonde grunted, choosing not to answer.

“I have no desire whatsoever to delve into the sordid details of your sex life,” he went on, releasing her wrists and packing dressings into his bag. “I have patients to see, things to do. Your antics in the bedroom do not concern me in the slightest.”

Kai pulled her lips in to stop herself from laughing, catching Thranduil’s eye as he glared at her. She looked away, tapping her feet as she sat on the comfortable couch.

“I will not state the cause of your leave from work,” Gandalf told her, turning to her with a pad and a pen in his hand. “I shall put _accident_ ; that way the choice lies with you what you wish to tell them when you return.”

“Thankyou,” she said. “I don’t think they need to know everything, and particularly not right now. I think it’s better if I keep it to myself for a while.”

“I agree,” he said, quickly signing the pad and tearing the top sheet off. Handing it to her, he frowned as he placed it back into his bag. “Do remember to call me if there is anything I can do,” he told her. “If you feel you would benefit from counselling or such like, I can arrange that for you. Thranduil has my number.”

She nodded, studying the piece of paper she held.

“Call me if you need to,” he added, nodding in the blonde’s direction as he lifted his bag.

Thranduil followed him from the lounge out into the hallway, and their quiet tones drifted back to her as she sat gazing at the paper. He returned before long, having seen the doctor out.

Lowering his tall form down onto the seat beside her, he slid an arm around her shoulders and tugged her against him. “How do you feel?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Ok, I suppose,” she told him. “I don’t know what I’m going to say to the guys at work though.” The paper tilted as she held it up slightly. “It’s going to come out sooner or later. It’s just a matter of when do I want to face it and the inevitable questions.”

He inhaled deeply as he lifted his free hand and ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes following the movement. “You deal with it if and when you feel that you are capable, and not before,” he said. “Do not let anyone push you for answers which you are not ready to give. Concentrate on one thing – yourself. To hell with those around you. They are not important. You are.”

“Maybe you’re right,” she admitted softly. “I’m probably building bridges long before I even need to, and it won’t do me any favours.”

One of his German shepherd dogs chose that moment to appear, and butted his cold, wet nose against her arm.

“Do not be jealous, Orophin,” Thranduil said, gently pushing the dog’s muzzle away.

“I can never tell the two of them apart,” she said, eyeing the beautiful animal. “They look identical to me.”

“Oropher has more black on his ears,” he replied. “And he is a little more boisterous than Orophin. You can almost guarantee that any damage done has been caused by him.”

“I’m surprised they’ve taken well to Tigra, and put up with his nonsense,” she murmered as she rubbed the dog’s head. “He’s enough to drive anyone mad.”

“Both dogs are very patient animals,” he told her. “They’re around six years old, so they’ve left the crazy pup stage behind them and are more mature and relaxed.”

“When d’you think I should go back to work?” she asked suddenly, tiping her head up to look at him.

He gazed down at her, unblinking. “Whenever you feel ready,” he replied after a silence. “However, that being said, I would not be in a rush to go back. Work should not be at the top of your list at this point in time, my darling. Your health and your peace of mind come first, and are far more important.”

“I have patients who need me though.”

“Maybe. But there are others who will take care of them in your absence,” he answered. “That is a huge issue for you – you do not think of yourself. You worry too much about others.”

Heaving a soft sigh, she nodded. “I know. But those old folks really need me, babe. If I’m not there-“

“Your team will look after them for you,” he finished before she could complete her sentence. “You hand-picked a support team that work well with and around you, and take your strategies on board, and practice them. You have nothing to worry about; I know they will give the same level of care that you do.”

“They _are_ a great bunch,” she admitted. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I need to relax and trust them more than I’m obviously doing.”

His fingers idly toyed with the ends of her hair. “You trained them well, Kai. Do not forget that. They know what you expect from them, and they deliver.”

“Hey…anyone home?” a voice called out.

“Through here,” he shouted back. “That sounds like Bard.”

“I’ll go upstairs and leave you to it,” she said, shifting forwards.

“No! Stay here,” he said with a frown, pulling her back against him. “You do not have to leave. Why would you think that?”

“I thought you guys might want peace and quiet to talk,” she told him.

“Why the hell would I want to talk to this great big lamp-post?” Bard laughed as he entered the room and tossed his jacket onto an armchair. “I came round to see how you guys are.”

Thranduil scowled at him. “You have intelligent conversation when you are in my company,” he said dryly.

“That’s up for debate,” his friend chuckled. “How are you, Kai? Is he taking care of you?”

She smiled. “Yes, he is,” she answered. “Too well, if I’m being honest.”

“Nonsense. Let him spoil you. _Make_ him spoil you,” he said. His dark eyes turned to the blonde. “Otis wants a meeting with you, first thing tomorrow.”

He huffed. “I turned my phone off so he couldn’t reach me,” he said.

“I know. He’s been going batshit. He says if you don’t get your arse in tomorrow morning, he’s going to fire you.”

Thranduil laughed. “He can’t. I have a contract, and Thorin does not mess around and leave room for error when going over those things,” he said. “Otis will be fine.” He waved his free hand dismissively. “I am not concerned.”

“You should be,” Kai said softly, tilting her head back to look up at him. The sight of him gazing down at her took her breath away. The man was _stunning._

“I have a legitimate reason for taking some personal time,” he told her. “There is nothing he can do about that. It isn’t as though he doesn’t have other scenes to film, ones which do not require my presence.”

“Are you going?” Bard asked. He dropped to his knees and wrestled Orophin to the floor, laughing as the dog playfully growled and fought with him.

“I might,” he sighed. His gaze went back to his lover. “What will you do while I’m out?”

She shrugged. “I could go back to my house and start cleaning it,” she said. “God knows it’s going to need a good gutting out.”

“There is no need,” Bard told her, glancing up from the excited dog. “I already went over with my oldest daughter and we scrubbed it clean.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh my God,” she gasped. “You didn’t have to do that! That’s a horrible job for anyone, Bard. I feel so bad now!”

“Do not feel bad,” Thranduil told her. “He would not have done it if he didn’t think it would help. Going back and facing the aftermath of what happened would possibly have set you back again, my love. None of us want that. It’s all about facing forwards, not back the way.”

“It was no trouble,” Bard assured her. “And it didn’t take long. My Sigrid loves cleaning, and she did a wonderful job. Don’t worry about it, honestly.”

“Thankyou,” she said quietly. “I appreciate what you and your daughter did.”

He scoffed, waving her off. “Nothing to it,” he said. “That’s what friends are for. And Orophin, if you bite me again I shall bite you back, you hairy great lump of nonsense!”

Thranduil chuckled, still playing with her hair. He closed his eyes momentarily, savouring the closeness of having her tucked against him.


	23. Chapter 23

** CHAPTER TWENTY THREE **

****

Thranduil shoved the double doors open and strode through, both of them crashing off the equipment stacked far too close for comfort. Heads turned as he walked across the set floor, his strides powerful and purposeful.

“Glad you could show face, Oropherion!” Otis yelled across the huge hall. “My office.”

The blonde’s eyes narrowed as he approached him, silently warning him not to push his luck. He’d woken in a foul mood, knowing what he was going to have to deal with during the meeting, and wasn’t looking forward to it.

The director turned and went into a small room, closing the door as Thranduil entered at his back. “Sit down,” he said.

He sat, crossing one knee over the other.

Otis sat across the desk from him. “I want to know what the hell’s going on that you’ve decided on a whim to hold up my production,” he said.

“Personal reasons,” he replied. “Reasons that I do not wish to disclose.”

“That’s not an answer,” he snapped. “You’re costing me money, Thran. What’s going on? What’s happened?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” he answered smoothly. “I will be back as soon as possible, perhaps another two weeks. I’m sure you can manage without me until then.”

The other man scowled at him. “I want answers,” he demanded angrily. “You’re not that hot a star that you can just waltz on and off a project whenever the notion takes you, goddammit. And you’re not indispensable, remember that.”

“So replace me,” Thranduil retorted with a careless shrug. “Right now I have other things at the top of my priority list, more important things. Things I cannot and will not ignore.”

“What’s wrong? Did you get laid or something?”

He uncrossed his legs and leaned forwards, fury blazing in his eyes. “Watch your step, Otis,” he warned softly. “This has _nothing_ to do with you, or anyone on this set. This is my own private, personal business. Deal with it.” He leaned back.

The director eyed him for a few moments, knowing he wasn’t getting anywhere and that his leading man was building an impenetrable wall around himself. “We’re talking money here, Thranduil.”

“We’re talking someone’s life,” he shot back. “I know which I consider to be worth more.”

An eyebrow lifted. “Talk to me.”

He sighed. “My girlfriend had a bad accident, and she almost died,” he said eventually. “And that’s all I’m willing to say. I have to take care of her, it’s as simple as that.”

Otis thumped his hands onto the desk. “Why the hell didn’t you say so?” he demanded. “For chrissakes, that’s different. I thought you were moping after some broad or something.”

Thranduil’s jaw tightened. “I did not think I came across as being quite that unprofessional,” he said.

“You don’t. I just know how temperamental you thespian lot can get when things don’t go your way,” he said. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Just cut me some slack,” he replied. “She needs me right now, and I need to help her through her recovery. I’ll be back in two weeks, providing she’s at a stage where I feel comfortable leaving her.”

The director toyed with a pen. “Is she in hospital?” he asked.

“No. She is recovering at my home,” he said. “She is more comfortable there.”

“I didn’t even know you were involved with anyone,” he said. “You’ve kept this quiet.”

“And I intend to continue keeping it quiet,” Thranduil responded. “She isn’t in the showbiz world, and doesn’t need the unwanted attention she would have, especially not right now. She needs peace and quiet, time to get back to herself.”

He nodded slowly. “I understand,” he admitted. “If there’s anything I can do, give me a call. And for chrissakes turn your goddamned phone on. It’s like trying to get an audience with the Pope trying to get hold of you, dammit.”

The blonde smirked. “That was my intention.”

Both eyebrows came down in a scowl as the director glared at him from across the desk. “You _know_ I need to be able to reach you, for chrissakes. It’s manners to keep your phone switched on.”

“I have my reasons for wanting to be left alone.” Thranduil told him. “Just leave it at that.” He uncrossed his legs and rose from the seat, towering over the much smaller man still seated. “I will call you.”

“Do that,” he muttered at his retreating back as he left the office.

Extras and actors nodded their acknowledgement as their leading man crossed the set towards the exit, exchanging polite greetings and pleasantries as he passed them.

“Thranduil!”

He faltered slightly, the feeling of dread settling on his shoulders. Turning around, he braced himself.

“I’ve been _so_ worried about you!” Olivia gushed, waddling over in costume. The heels she wore did nothing to stabilise her balance. “Where have you been? How are you?”

“I’m taking some time off, and I’m fine,” he replied.

“But I couldn’t reach you,” she said as she settled a hand on his arm.

He shrugged it off. “Nobody could. That was the point of turning my phone off.”

“That just makes your friends worry about you,” she said. “Is there anything I can do?”

“No.”

Long lashes blinked slowly, and he could almost see the cogs turning behind her eyes.

“Promise you’ll call if you need me,” she said finally.

“I won’t need you,” he assured her, and turned away.

She called after him, but he kept walking and ignored her. She was one distraction and complication he didn’t need, and neither did Kai. The woman was a thorn in her side, and her hanging around would only aggravate her as she was trying to rest and heal. She needed quiet time, time with him and their pets, time to recuperate and recover. Her father’s words had destroyed her, and he’d made it his personal task to bring her back to herself again.

The set door slammed at his back as he stepped out into the parking lot. He stopped and tilted his head back, taking a deep breath as he absorbed the scents of nature around him. The warm smell of the summer air. The faint aroma from the pine trees growing next to the studio. The fragrance from the rose bushes next to the parking lot. The distinct smell of freshly-mown grass.

“Hey, Thranduil!” a voice called.

He opened his eyes and turned round, to see Thorin’s nephew Fili heading towards him. Having secured a job as a set designer, he was frequently found diving in between scenes and adjusting things while filming.

“Fili, good to see you,” he greeted him. “How are you?”

“Great, and you?” The smaller man bounded up to him with a grin. “Legolas emailed me this morning. He’s coming home for a visit in the next week or so.”

Thranduil’s eyebrows rose. “Fantastic. I haven’t checked my email in days, and my phone’s been off,” he said.

Fil’s grin widened. “He did mention something about it being easier to track down BigFoot than you,” he laughed. “Catch up when he gets here for a knees-up?”

“Definitely. Tell Thorin I expect him to be there,” he replied.

“Will do. See you later,” he said cheerfully, and headed into the studio.

Thranduil smiled and shook his head as he headed over to his vehicle.

*****

“I have something to tell you,” he said, later that night as he dried the dishes that Kai handed to him. “My son is coming home for a visit very soon.”

“Legolas?” she asked, surprised. “I read somewhere that he was on location in England with his latest project.”

“He is,” he answered as he dried a glass tumbler. “I dare say even directors have time off too.” He grinned as he placed the glass up onto a shelf in the cupboard above his head. “You’ll like him.”

Legolas had decided not to follow his famous father into acting, and instead chose to be on the other side of the camera. Already having three successful movies under his belt at the age of twenty four, he showed aptitude and talent for his chosen art of directing.

“Maybe I should go back to my own place,” she said as she handed him a dinner plate.

“Why would you say that?” he asked with a frown.

She shrugged. “He’s your son; you’ll need time with him.”

“And I cannot have that with you here, why?” he pushed. “I want you to stay here. I want you to meet him.  I want you here with me.”

She smiled as a faint blush coloured her cheeks. “Maybe three’s a crowd,” she told him. “I’m an outsider, and-“

“You are my girlfriend, my lover, the love of my life,” he butted in. “And that means I wish to share things in my life with you, not shut you out and ignore you. I want you included in what I do, just as I wish to be included in what you do.”

“But he’s your family,” she insisted.

“And?”

“That should be private time,” she told him, emptying the sink of soapy water. “I know I wouldn’t want anyone around if it was my family coming to visit. For different reasons though, but you and Legolas have a good relationship. I don’t want to intrude on that.”

He scrunched the towel into a ball and tossed it onto the worktop, turning to face her and gripping her upper arms. “Listen to me,” he demanded, but his tone didn’t hold any anger or malice. “I love you beyond what I could ever describe. I want you to share everyday things with me, new experiences with me, make memories with me. That includes meeting my son and spending time with us as part of our family. You do not have a family, Kai; you belong to ours. The family that brought you into the world destroyed you. That will not happen in mine. We will look after you, include you, spoil you. You are now a part of this, and I would have it no other way. So no – I do not want you to leave here while Legolas is here. I want you to stay.”

She gazed up into his eyes, which radiated nothing but honesty and love. Swallowing, she nodded. “Ok. I’ll stay if you really want me to,” she said quietly. “But if I feel like I’m a third wheel-“

“You will not, and you won’t be,” he interrupted, kissing her forehead. “I know you won’t be. I promise that.”

She smiled, leaning into him a little. “I love you.”

“And I love you so much more,” he replied, and slid an arm around her. “Now I suggest we leave the rest of the clearing up, and relax. There’s a half-decent movie coming on soon. I’ll make us a coffee and we can cuddle up and watch it. How does that sound?”

“Amazing,” she replied.

*****

Kai murmered in pleasure as her body instinctively arched, her breast pushing further into Thranduil’s hand.

“Are you awake, sweetheart?” he whispered.

“Mmm,” she replied sleepily.

“Good,” he said with a soft kiss to her shoulder. “Because I want to wake up the city.” He shifted behind her, his warm body pressing tighter against hers as his hand continued squeezing and caressing her breast. “I want to feel you explode. I want to hear you scream with desire as you come.”

She murmered again, wriggling her hips back against the solid erection resting in between her butt cheeks. “What time is it?”

“Night time,” he replied as he kissed his way up the back of her neck. “I do not care.”

She laughed softly in the dark room, illuminated only by the light spilling out of the slightly ajar bathroom door. “You are wicked.”

“Yes.” More kisses, and a hot swipe of his tongue. “But you love that.”

“Oh…I _do_ ,” she told him. “Oh my…that feels _so_ good, babe…”

Her weight shifted and she turned so that she was facing him, her front tight against his. The light from the bathroom reflected off his eyes, and she could see even in the semi dark that he was as aroused as hell.

“Didn’t you get enough in the shower?” she purred as his clever fingers stroked in between her legs.

“I could never get enough of you,” he whispered erotically, as his middle finger breeched her entrance, making her gasp slightly. They’d showered together once the movie had finished, and she’d stood behind him soaping his back, her hands eventually wandering around to his front. She’d proceeded to relieve him by hand within what had felt like a matter of seconds, her movements experienced and confident as she’d gripped him.

One finger became two as he nuzzled into her neck, his hand rubbing her core as he delved deeper into her. His other hand was firmly against the warm, smooth skin of her back, holding her tightly against him.

Soft moans filled the air as he took her higher and higher. Her body responded to his in a way that she’d never known before; sometimes she felt that he just had to look at her to have her underwear drenched. Her hips moved restlessly as she ground herself down onto his hand, desperate to feel him penetrating her deeper.

“You are _so_ wet, _so_ turned on,” he whispered. “Lift your leg, sweetheart.”

She did as he prompted, resting her knee over his hip and giving him more room to stimulate her. His hot mouth wandered down her neck and over her shoulder, before travelling back up again, leaving kisses on her sensitive skin. Turning her head in towards his neck, she touched her lips to the throbbing pulse point.

“I need to come,” she gasped as her body tightened. “I need to come with you inside me…”

His fingers seemed to plunger even deeper as she rocked against him. “I have had my pleasure,” he said softly. “It is your turn.”

“Please, baby…please,” she pleaded breathlessly, kissing his neck in between pants and whimpers.

His hand stilled, and he lifted his head to look at her.

She held his gaze, mentally screaming at him to fuck her, and hard.

“I could never refuse you anything,” he said eventually.

She rolled a little more so that she was half on her side, and half on top of him, as he moved more onto his back. Her left leg remained up round his waist, with her right knee pushing against the mattress next to his leg. Her head fell forwards and she buried it against his neck as he guided himself into her, a deep cry wrenching itself from the back of her throat.

“Oh yesssss,” she cried. “Yessss…more…more…”

He smiled to himself as he pushed upwards, entering her inch by agonisingly slow inch, until he was buried up to the hilt. “Better?”

She nodded against him, mumbling something unintelligible as she moved against him. Her hips rocked as she ground herself onto him, the feeling of him finally filling her overtaking everything around her.

His warm hands swept up and down her back as he gently thrust up into her, and settled on her hips. His fingers dug into her flesh as he lifted her slightly, and began pumping rapidly.

She squealed as new sensations fired through her body, electric sparks and bursts of fire blazing to life throughout her bloodstream. Each thrust went deeper, each movement catapulting her towards orbit.

“Oh-my-God, oh-my-God, oh-my-God,” she cried.

He didn’t answer, concentrating hard on keeping his own orgasm at bay as he led her towards hers. Every time he touched her she was always highly aroused and ready for him, and he seemed to spend his entire days and nights in a state of sexual awareness around her.

“Thranduil, I’m gonna come,” she whispered raggedly as she gripped his upper arms and held tight. “Oh fuuuuuuck..!”

“Come for me, baby,” he whispered, thrusting faster, gripping her hips harder. “Come for me.”

Every sense within her exploded with a blast as she climaxed, screaming his name as her body shuddered violently, her orgasm pounding through her in strong waves of pleasure.

“Good girl,” he murmered, flipping her over onto her back and driving hard into her. His mouth crushed hers and he wove his fingers through hers. She gasped and wheezed for air as his tongue took possession of her mouth, his movements in rhythm with his thrusts.

Her thighs lifted and she half-heartedly wrapped her legs around him, her energy spent after the explosive peak he’d taken her to. Releasing one of her hands, he gripped behind her knee, helping to support her limb as he ploughed into her.

“I’m coming, Kai,” he gasped as his own body began to touch bliss. “Oh fuckkkkk..!”

She licked his neck and began sucking hard on his skin as he tensed, feeling a flood of hot fluid fill her as he came with a deep roar.

His head lowered to rest on the pillow beside hers, his breathing coming in harsh gasps as he struggled to regain his equilibrium. Her chest heaved against his as she too tried to regulate her breathing, her body still quivering from what he’d done to her. They lay together for several minutes, neither of them moving.

Eventually he lifted his head, and she smiled as she pushed his hair back from his face.

“Are you ok?” she asked.

He chuckled as he nodded. “Yes, I think so. You?”

Her smile widened. “Never better.”

He touched his mouth against hers with a deep kiss; a slow but sensual one that sent little quakes of pleasure rippling down to her toes.

“I love you so much,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she whispered back. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I do. More than I could tell you.”

Dropping a final kiss on her lips, he raised himself onto his elbows and slowly pulled out of her with a hiss. “That was supposed to be for _your_ pleasure, not mine,” he told her as he flopped down beside her. The mattress bounced as his weight crashed down onto it. “It would seem that my original intentions were forgotten along the way.”

She laughed as she ran a hand through his hair. “I needed to come with you buried deep inside me,” she told him. “It’s better that way.”

“You have no idea how amazing it feels when I’m in you and you come,” he murmered, his eyes drifting closed in exhaustion. “Your whole body just…it sort of melts, and goes into a kind of meltdown. It’s difficult to explain.”

She hummed in agreement. “The female orgasm has confused biologists for hundreds of years,” she said. Her hand stilled in his hair, and a smile crept over her mouth as his breathing settled.

He was asleep.


	24. Chapter 24

** CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR **

****

“Your phone is ringing, baby,” Thranduil called.

Kai lifted her head as she paused playing with Oropher. “Who is it?” she called back.

“Robbie.”

“Shit.” She hoisted herself to her feet, hurrying through the house to the kitchen. “I’d better talk to him. He’s been going nuts trying to get hold of me.”

Thranduil stirred the pot on the stove with one hand, holding a cup of coffee out to her with the other.

“Hey,” she said as she connected the call, taking the cup with a smile of gratitude.

“Hey, my ass!” Robbie yelled in her ear. “Where in the name of God have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for days, dammit! Where are you?”

“I’m with Thranduil,” she replied as she seated herself at the large table. Crossing her feet under the chair, she rested her elbows on the surface. “I haven’t been at my place for a few days.”

“Tell me about it!” he ranted. “I went over there, I pounded on your door, I called and called and called. You’ve disappeared off the face of the earth!”

She laughed. “Don’t be so melodramatic,” she chided him. “I just needed some time away, that’s all.”

“Hey…back up, lady. What d’you mean you’re _with Thranduil_?? Are you guys together? Did you do it?!” he demanded.

“Uh…yeah, we’re together,” she replied, glancing over at the blonde hunk.

He winked at her with a smile.

“ _What_?! When the fuck did you plan on parting with _that_ information?” Robbie yelled. “Jesus fucking Christ…”

“Calm down,” she shushed him. “It’s just something we’ve kept between ourselves. I don’t see the need to publicise details.”

“I’m _supposed_ to be your best friend, goddammit,” he ranted. “Thanks for the heads-up and the vote of confidence, you shameless wench.”

“I’ll shameless wench you in a minute!” she laughed. “Maybe we aren’t ready to announce our relationship to the world…ever think of that, you headcase?”

Across from her, Thranduil smirked to himself as he continued stirring. Her friend was clearly giving her a hard time for not telling him of the developments in their relationship.

“Balls,” her irate colleague grunted. “You coulda told me.”

“You forget Thranduil’s not your everyday worker,” she reminded him. “He’s in the spotlight all the time. He needs his privacy.”

“I need details!” he wailed.

“Tough. I’m not giving you details,” she huffed. “Get over it. How’s things with you, anyway?”

He grunted. “Crap. We’re really missing you at work. Lucy said you’re off sick…what happened?”

She hesitated. “It’s a long story, Robs,” she murmered. “I’m not going into it over the phone.”

Silence.

“Meet me for a coffee?”

Her eyes lifted to Thranduil as she considered his offer. One of his eyebrows lifted in silent question. Covering the phone, she whispered.

“He wants to meet me for a coffee.”

He shrugged. “You can go,” he whispered back. “I do not have a problem with that, my love. I can drop you off and pick you up.”

“Are you still there?” a pissed-off voice roared in her ear.

“Yes, I’m still here,” she snapped. “When d’you want to meet, and where?”

“I’m good to go,” he told her. “Pick the joint, and I’ll be there.”

“Ok…Cameron’s over on fifth…you know it? Give me an hour,” she said. “And Robbie…don’t bring any of the others with you. I won’t talk if you do.”

“I won’t,” he promised. “I’ll see you soon. Love ya.”

“Love ya too,” she said, cutting the call. She placed the cell phone onto the table, lifting her eyes to Thranduil’s.

He tilted his head to one side, regarding her thoughtfully. “Do you not want to go and meet with him?” he asked.

“Yeah, I do, but I know him too well,” she replied. “He’s worse than an old fish-wife when he knows there’s gossip, and he’ll be on at me for details of how we got together. I don’t know how much or how little to tell him, and what will be enough to fend him off.”

Ice blue eyes held hers as he lowered himself to sit across from her. “You seem more concerned with having to talk about us than talking about what you’ve been through recently,” he said thoughtfully. “This troubles me.”

She frowned. “Why?”

“Because it tells me that you are more concerned with me and what I think than yourself, and what you want,” he answered.

“Maybe.”

He reached across and took her hand in a firm grip. “Stop thinking of others, and start thinking about yourself,” he said softly. “Tell Robbie whatever you want regarding us; I have nothing to hide, and nothing to be ashamed of. Do not think about it. As far as what you’ve been through, only you know how much you can trust him, and how much to tell him.”

“I have no issues discussing what I did,” she said. “I’m just not sure how much about us that you want anyone to know.” Her dark blue eyes searched his, looking for an answer.

“As much or as little as you wish to tell,” he told her. “I love you. I am proud to be with you. I only wish to protect you from the intrusion of the media, nothing more.”

“Robbie wouldn’t say anything,” she said with a shake of her head. “I could tell him my biggest, darkest secret and he wouldn’t blab.”

“Yet you never told him of your past,” he said quietly.

“No. I was ashamed and embarrassed,” she said.

“You have no need to be, my darling,” he whispered, tightening his grip on her hand as he leaned a little closer. “You did not ask for the parents you had. You did not ask or deserve the life that you had with them. Never forget that. You have left them behind and created a life for yourself, and they have no bearing on that. Do not allow them to continue to destroy you; they have done more than enough damage.”

She nodded, her eyes lowering to the table. “I know.”

He gazed at her for a few seconds, before rising to his feet and pulling her to hers. Gently tugging her around the table towards him, he folded his arms around her and held her close. “You are so special,” he murmered into her hair. “I love you. So much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered. Her hands clutched fistfuls of his shirt at the back of his shoulders as she held on.

“Baby…I feel that you’re not comfortable going to meet Robbie,” he said softly. He pulled back a little and looked down at her.

“I am, honestly,” she said with a determined nod. “It’s just…never mind.”

“Talk to me,” he said, gently tipping her chin back towards him with one finger as she looked away. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Nothing,” she insisted, chewing on her lower lip. “It’s nothing.”

A few seconds passed.

“You’re nervous about being away from here,” he said.

“A little.”

“And?”

She hesitated. “I’m ok, honest.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, and the pink hue on her cheeks told him without words that he’d hit the nail bang on the head.

She was reluctant to leave him so soon after what she’d been through, and he knew it. She needed him, both physically and emotionally.

“Can you do that without being recognised?” she asked.

He smiled. “No. But we can pick him up and bring him back here. How about that? You can talk away in comfort, and I can disappear and reappear at any given time, so I won’t be far away from you.”

“How did you know?” she whispered, and his smile grew as he kissed the tip of her nose.

“I just did,” he said. “Go and get changed out of your pyjamas; I’ll make you another coffee and we can head off in around quarter of an hour.”

She turned away, then turned back. “Thankyou,” she said huskily, standing up on her toes to kiss his cheek, then turning and hurrying away.

His eyes followed her as she disappeared from his line of sight, and he sighed quietly to himself. She still had a lot of healing to go through before she could go back to the real world, and he knew he had a lot of work to do with her.

*****

Robbie sat sideways on the couch, his hand holding Kai’s right wrist. “Why didn’t you say anything, Flower?” he asked, distress in his voice. “I would’ve helped you. I’d have stopped this before it even happened.”

She shook her head. “You couldn’t have,” she said, a slight catch to her voice.

Thranduil heard it from the kitchen, and glanced over his shoulder at her. She seemed to be holding herself together, so he turned back to preparing lunch, and kept an ear on her.

“The damage was deep-set, Robs. It just took that shitty confrontation to spark it all off to a level where I couldn’t cope with it,” she said.

“You should’ve called me,” he told her.

She shook her head again, pulling her arm away and settling back. “I’m ok. It turned out for the best.”

“You’re so lucky Thranduil kicked the door in,” he said. “You’d have been dead if he hadn’t.”

“I know,” she whispered.

“But she is not, and she is healing fast,” the blonde said, appearing behind Robbie and circling him. A hard look told him silently to change tactics.

“Yes, for which we’re eternally grateful for you being there,” he said hastily. He turned back to his best friend. “If you _ever_ feel like you’re going back to that place again, you call me, you hear? Day or night, working or not, it doesn’t matter. You call me. Promise me.”

“I promise,” she said with a small smile. “But I won’t go there again, honestly. I have good enough reason to fight and keep going, no matter how bad things get.” Her eyes flicked briefly to Thranduil, who smiled and went back through to the kitchen.

“So…spill the goss!” Robbie whispered, waiting until he’d left the vicinity. “How did y’all get together?”

“We just did,” she said with a shrug. “It just happened. Although I think you know you had more than just a bit-part in giving us that wee shove of yours.”

He grinned. “Me?” he said innocently.

“Aye – you,” she laughed. “Thanks, Robs.”

He gently punched her upper arm. “Think nothing of it. You two idiots would have been tip-toeing around each other for years if I hadn’t pushed you both a little. I was getting tired of waiting for something to happen!”

“I think we both were,” Thranduil said, coming back into the room with garlic bread on one plate and a massive pizza on another. He set them down and lowered himself onto the armchair adjacent to Kai. “I think both of us were unsure of how the other felt, and was too scared to say anything.” His eyes met hers, and they shared a tender smile.

“Well, I think it’s about time y’all got together, and it’s something worth celebrating,” Robbie decided, leaning forwards and helping himself to a slice of pizza. “Have you told anyone at work yet, Flower?”

She shook her head as she took the slice her lover handed to her. “Thanks, babe. No. I haven’t seen anyone. You’re the first contact I’ve had with anyone.”

Her friend tilted his head to one side. “Are you going to keep it under wraps for a while?”

“Probably,” she replied. “I need to get my head together and get back to work before I tackle anything else, and I think revealing everything just now would be a distraction.”

“Which we cannot afford to have,” Thranduil put in. He sat back and settled one ankle over the opposite knee. “Kai’s health and well-being are paramount right now.” He looked pointedly at Robbie.

“Hey, I won’t say anything,” he assured him. “I trust her with my life; there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. I want her to get back to everyday life as much as anyone. And for what it’s worth, I agree that too much stress would set her back.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,” she grumbled with a laugh. “I’ll be alright, honest. I just need to prioritise things, and I think that getting back on my feet is at the top of the list right now. And I know that Thranduil doesn’t need the pressure of the media dissecting us at this point in time.”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “They do not bother me,” he said. “However, I do have the need to shield you from them for the time being. It is not the most important detail to reveal right now; we are together and that is all that matters. We can choose when they find out and what they do with the information.”

“Exactly,” Robbie agreed through a mouthful of pizza. “I’m just glad you guys finally made the move towards each other.”

“Which I probably would not have done had you not told me that Kai had feelings for me,” Thranduil acknowledged. “So thankyou for that.” He tipped his head in his direction.

He snorted, waving him off. “Anything for friends,” he said dismissively. “I missed you at Jack’s funeral though,” he added, turning to her. “I take it everything was just too much to deal with?”

She nodded, chewing. “I needed to stay away, Robs. I’ve done too much death and grieving these last few months. I had to clear my head. And I knew I couldn’t do any more for him. I knew he was being taken care of after we’d sent him to the funeral home.”

“It was a reasonably small turn-out,” he told her. “Most folks there, I didn’t know.”

“Unfortunately, in my world, people will make an appearance at any event which they consider will bring them into focus,” Thranduil pointed out with a sigh. “And poor Jack’s funeral turned out to be such an event. Most of those there were actors and directors, simply out to be seen with me rather than to mourn the passing of an old man.”

“People are leeches,” Kai observed. “They are out for whatever they can get, in whatever circumstances they can get it. I really hate people sometimes, seriously.”

The blonde smirked in amusement at the way she spat the last sentence out. “And yet we need people to sustain life in general,” he mused.

“Yeah. Well I’m picky about those I interact with,” she huffed. “Did Alex bring in the new admission from the hospital?” she asked, turning to Robbie.

Her lover smiled and rose to his feet, leaving them alone for a while to discuss work. Kai’s job was very much on her mind, and he knew that. He knew she’d never get through the next few weeks without bringing the subject up; it was the centre of her life.

He called Oropher and Orophin, taking both dogs out for a walk to burn up some of the endless supply of energy they carried.

*****

Two weeks passed.

Kai’s wounds healed, and Gandalf dutifully removed the sutures as he’d promised. Thranduil kept a discreet eye on her, sometimes from a distance as she pottered around doing whatever caught her interest. She spent a lot of time out in the gardens, and made a massive difference as she weeded plant beds and borders. The horses had bonded with her and looked for their treat of an apple each every morning as she passed them, their heads over the fence watching for her approach.

The two dogs loved having her around, and kept her laughing at their antics as they cheerfully destroyed the house day after day.

Thranduil loved having her around as well.

They spent hours walking around the grounds hand in hand, cuddled on the couch together watching movies, cooking together, or just chatting aimlessly about anything and everything.

They shared baths and showers, and made love. Nights were spent curled together in a tangle of arms and legs, soft kisses, and murmered endearments.

Daytime always arrived bringing a sense of new things to be learned about one another, new memories to make, new experiences.

All too soon, it was time for Kai to return to work.

Her wounds had healed well, and apart from the scars and constant itching, she felt almost back to a hundred percent. Emotionally, she was contented and felt safe, knowing that Thranduil was never far from her and was consistent in his self-imposed task of guiding her and taking care of her.

For the first time in her personal life, she felt that she meant something to someone.

On her first day back on duty, he dropped her off at the unit, leaving after a few lingering, drawn-out kisses and murmered promises of what they would do once their work day was over. She entered the unit with a bounce in her step and a smile on her face.

“Kai!” Lucy screamed, dropping a pile of patient files and hurtling down the hallway towards her. She shrieked and squealed as she threw her arms around her, spinning her round and round until they were both dizzy.

“Oh my God, you’re a mad woman!” Kai laughed, peeling her friend from her. “You’d think I’d been off for a year or something!”

“It bloody feels like it,” Lucy retorted. “It’s not been the same without you, girl. We’ve had Alex on the floor a lot of the time, and he doesn’t know his ass from his elbow when it comes to running a shift. I’m _so_ glad you’re back!”

She smiled, lifting her backpack from the floor where it had landed as she’d been rugby tackled. “I’m glad too,” she said warmly. “I’ve actually missed you guys.”

“Good to hear it,” Lucy snorted, linking an arm through hers and walking towards the staff room with her. “Now we can settle knowing that the shifts are going to run the way they’re s’posed to, instead of half-assed and all over the show. I’ve never known this place to be so unorganised in all the years I’ve been here.”

Kai laughed as she shoved the door open. “Normal service will resume, I promise,” she told her. Stripping her t-shirt off, she shrugged into her uniform scrubs and tied her long hair back. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“Hear, hear,” her friend agreed, and followed her back through to the duty room.

Their entrance was greeted with a chorus of cheers and hugs.

She laughed and blushed as she fought her team-mates and friends off, feeling self-conscious and in the centre of a huge spotlight. Her colleagues were thrilled to have her back, and it showed. The night-shift senior shook his head with a grin as he watched the chaos unfold in the duty room, waiting patiently to give the shift handover and go home.

Eventually the group settled down enough for him to deliver his report, after which he tidied up and left them to it. Kai immediately slid into her own senior role, finding it comfortable as she placed her care team into their morning duties.

Halfway through the morning, her boss made an unexpected appearance on the floor.

“A word, Kai,” he said, hovering in the hallway leading to the communal bathrooms.

“Sure,” she replied, turning to Robbie. “Take over, will you?”

He nodded, taking control of the wheelchair as she moved aside and headed in Alex’s direction. The older man silently led her upstairs to his office, where he closed the door behind her.

“Have a seat,” he told her.

She sat, wondering what he wanted to say.

“How have you been?” he asked, lowering himself into the chair on the other side of the desk.

“It’s been rough, but I’m alright now,” she replied. “Being back at work will help me.”

He lifted the certificate Gandalf had given her between two fingers. “It says here you had an accident,” he said. “What happened?”

She swallowed. “To be honest, I’d rather not talk about it,” she replied. “It was really traumatic for me, and right now isn’t a good time for me to go back over it. I need to move past it and go forwards.”

“Hmm.” The certificate floated back onto the desk as he released his hold on it. He looked over at her. “You’re fired.”


	25. Chapter 25

** CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE **

****

Kai’s jaw dropped.

“What?” she gasped, shocked.

“You’re fired,” he repeated. “As in you no longer have employment here. Your job is finished, and as of now, you no longer work for the company.”

She blinked, numb. “Why? Because I was off sick?”

“That certainly doesn’t help your case,” he stated. “But fundamentally, there are other reasons.”

She gaped at him. “You can’t do this,” she whispered.

“Actually, I can,” he corrected her. He took his cell phone from his pocket, tapped on the screen a few times, then slid the device across towards her.

An image of her and Thranduil kissing on the dancefloor of Cat’s appeared before her blurred vision.

“You’ve been fucking Oropherion,” he accused. “That’s against protocol, and you know it. It’s a conflict of interest, being involved with someone who has power of attorney over a patient in your care. It’s in the policy.”

She lifted her shocked gaze to him. “This was before anything happened between us,” she said quietly. “That was to sideline somebody he wanted to get shot of, who wouldn’t leave him alone.”

Alex snorted. “Like I believe you,” he muttered, taking the phone back. “I have footage here which shows you practically in each other’s underwear; that constitutes a blatant disregard for policy and procedures. Your time here is finished.”

Kai blinked, feeling the tears burning her eyes. “You can’t do this.”

“I can, and I am,” he told her. “Rules are in place for a reason, which is to be followed, not dropped and ignored as you please. You’re lucky I’m not going to the registration board with this. At least this way, you still keep your registration. Getting another job however, might not be as easy as you think. I certainly won’t be giving you a glowing reference.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe you,” she said. “After all the years, all the dedication…and you do _this_ to me?!”

He leaned over and grabbed her arm, dragging it onto the desk. “By the looks of things, your _accident_ makes you a liability around vulnerable patients,” he snarled. “If you’re mentally unbalanced, I don’t want you anywhere near them. You’re a danger to yourself, Kai, and I won’t have you in a position of trust.” He pushed her limb away in disgust. “Get out of here. You have ten minutes to get your things together and get out, before I call the cops.”

Stunned, she could only stare at him.

He stared back, not budging a fraction.

Pushing her seat back, she stood and turned, leaving the office and closing the door behind her. Her tears started flowing as she descended the stairs.

“Kai? Kai, what’s wrong?” Tasha asked in alarm as she caught sight of her. Rushing over, she gripped her shoulder. “What happened?”

“Alex fired me,” she said, wiping tears away.

“ _What?!_ Why?”

“Because I’m with Thranduil,” she replied. “He has footage of us at Cat’s, and has fired me because I’ve violated protocol by being involved with someone connected to a patient.”

Tasha’s eyes widened in horror. “But…but…he _can’t!_ Jack’s dead, what you do in your own time is your business! He has no right!”

“We were at Cat’s the night he died,” she whispered. “Remember he was trying to throw that actress off his tail?”

Her friend stared at her as her mind worked rapidly. “Take him to an employment tribunal,” she said firmly. “We’ll all back you. Not one of us will let you down.” Her head turned as she glimpsed Robbie at the other end of the hallway. “Robbie! Get over here!” she roared.

Kai turned away and made her way through to the staff room, still visibly upset. Within seconds, Robbie crashed through after her, grabbing her into a bear hug.

“Oh Flower, I’m so sorry,” he wailed. “We’ll sort this out, don’t worry. I’ll have a word with FuckFace upstairs and fix this, I promise.”

“You can’t, Robs,” she cried, pushing him away. “He has footage of me and Thranduil kissing, from the night we were at Cat’s. You know how hot and heavy that was…he’s made his mind up. He won’t listen to reason.”

Robbie clenched his jaw in anger. “I’ll _make_ him listen,” he snarled. “This isn’t over, not by a long shot.”

She shook her head, lowering it as she tried to compose herself. “If Thranduil calls, do _not_ tell him,” she said determinedly. “He’ll blame himself, and I’m not having him do that. I’ll think of something.”

He gasped. “You can’t keep this from him,” he said. “You _have_ to tell him! Holy shit, Kai – don’t keep it a secret! He’ll go nuts if he finds out.”

“He won’t find out,” she said, a growl in her voice. “Because you lot aren’t going to tell him.”

He lifted both hands with the palms facing her in a peaceful gesture. “We won’t say a word,” he assured her. “But these things have a habit of coming back to bite you when you least expect them to. What are you going to do?”

She pulled her lips in, breathing steadily. “I’m going back to my place for the rest of the day,” she decided. “I need to get my head together, sort things out in my mind. I can’t do it at his house.”

He nodded. “I’ll call you later,” he promised.

Nodding, she lifted her back pack and walked past him, shouldering the door open. Her heart was heavy as she left the building.

*****

“I have to admit, I am surprised to find you here, my darling,” Thranduil said as he guided the car away from the kerb.

“Why?”

He shrugged. “I assumed it might be a difficult thing to come back alone,” he replied. “I thought you may wish to have someone with you.”

Kai turned her head to gaze out of the window. “It didn’t matter. I knew I had to come back at some point.”

He glanced at her briefly before turning back to the road. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes,” she answered. “I just had a thought…”

“Which was?”

She shook her head. “It was nothing.”

“If it was a thought, then it was not nothing,” he said. “Talk to me, my love.”

She hesitated. “I was wondering if you’d like to stay at my house tonight for a change,” she said hesitantly.

He glanced back over in surprise. “If that is what you wish, then yes. I do not mind where we are, as long as we are together,” he told her. His eyebrows came down in a slight frown as he drove. “Are you sure that there is nothing wrong?”

His intuition stunned her.

“Everything’s fine,” she replied. “I just realised coming back here that I miss home, that’s all. We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

“I do not mind,” he reiterated. “But we shall have to go and feed the dogs, and pick up Tigra. Bard will check in on Oropher and Orophin through the night, and take them out for their walk early in the morning. I sincerely doubt that Tigra would last the duration of our absence if we are not there to keep an eye on the mischief of the mutts.”

She grinned, leaning back against her seat and relaxing. “I love your house, but I do find I miss mine,” she murmered, watching the scenery pass. “Does that sound weird?”

“Not at all,” he answered, changing gears in a smooth movement. “You have spent many years there, building the house to the way you wish it to be. It is part of you, and resembles your character and what is in your heart. There is nothing wrong in being attached to that, or finding comfort in it.”

She hummed in agreement. “I’ve changed the sheets, and had all the windows open for a while,” she said. Her voice sounded as though she was miles away, and he glanced at her.

“What time did you finish work?” he asked. “Usually you do twelve-hour shifts.”

“I had a half shift as it was my first day back,” she lied smoothly. “Just to like…ease me in, or something.”

He smiled. “I bet your patients were glad to see you.”

She laughed, albeit with false humour. “You should’ve seen the guys,” she told him. “Lucy almost knocked me off my feet, and I could hardly get through them to get into the duty room.”

“They know that you look after them,” he told her. “A good boss can be difficult to find.”

The conversation rolled on as they headed towards his estate, where they fed and walked the dogs, and collected Tigra. The cat freaked out at being put back into his carrier, hissing and spitting and trying to bite as he was bundled inside and secured.

By the time they got back to her house, darkness was settling comfortably over the city, and Kai found her tension slowly ebbing. She cooked supper for both of them, and they settled down to talk about his day on set. Before they knew it, it was heading for midnight.

“How about we turn in for the night?” Thranduil suggested, his voice soft and low. One hand played with the ends of her hair as his eyes held hers in the warm light from the lamp in the corner.

Mesmerised, she nodded. “That sounds good.”

He stood, taking her hand and leading her through the house. “Shower before bed?”

“Definitely,” she said. “I need to freshen up.”

His large form entered the bathroom in front of her as he turned the overhead light on, the blinding harshness making her blink and screw her eyes up.

She stopped as he stepped to one side to pick up a bundle of towels.

Blood everywhere.

Bright red blood, fresh blood. Blood dripping down the pristine white bath panel. Blood splashed on the floor and across the tiles. The smell of iron stinging her nose.

Searing pain in her wrists, gaping wounds, exposed inner flesh and tissue.

Loud whooshing in her ears, blurred vision, and a dizziness that flushed upwards from her toes.

Strong arms wrapped around her as her knees gave way, and she found herself swept up into his arms and cradled against his chest.

“This is too much for you,” he said, marching out of the small room.

Glancing over his shoulder, she blinked in amazement.

The bathroom was spotless.

“What happened?” she whispered in confusion.

Ice blue eyes met hers as he strode back towards the lounge. “You had a flashback of sorts,” he replied.

The welcoming light of the lounge greeted her as he went in, carefully lowering her to sit on the couch. Dropping to his knees before her, he took her hands and searched her eyes.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“I…I…I don’t know,” she said truthfully. “I didn’t expect that.” She ran her tongue over her dried lips. “All I could see was blood…blood everywhere. I could smell it. I could feel the pain from…from where…”

“Sshhh,” he murmered softly, releasing one hand to stroke her hair. “It’s alright. You’re just not quite ready to face it, that’s all. It is nothing to worry and stress over. Time will sort it out.” His concerned eyes stared into hers, and she could almost feel his presence in her soul. His large hand held hers in a gentle hold, the warmth from it bringing her some comfort.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tearing her gaze away with a shake of her head.

“Do not be,” he said softly. “I think that perhaps it is too soon for us to stay here, at least overnight. Do you want to go back to my place?”

She shook her head again in determination, swallowing back the lump in her throat. “No. It’s late. We’ve already been there and back, without you having to drive yet again. We need sleep.”

His hand moved from her hair and tenderly caressed her cheek. “You will not sleep if we stay here,” he whispered. “And it is not a long drive, my darling. I think you will settle better elsewhere.”

She didn’t answer, focusing on keeping her breathing steady and even.

He sensed the battle she was having within herself, and made the decision for her. “Come on, my little Tiger,” he said, and got to his feet. “I will take you back. The time is not yet right for this. It has been a difficult day for you, going back to work and then coming here. We will face this another time, together.”

She stood with him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face against his shoulder. No words were needed. He could feel the unrest within her soul and her heart, and simply held her for a few moments before she shifted away.

*****

“Do not think of last night as a setback,” Thranduil said. He stirred the mug in front of him before turning and handing it over.

“It’s difficult to think of it being anything other than a setback,” Kai responded as she took the cup. “Thankyou.”

“I would regard it as your mind telling you that you are not yet ready to face what happened,” he said. “Physically you are healing, and healing well, but your mind and your heart are still in need of time and care. You will know within yourself when the time is right to go back there.”

“Like post-traumatic stress,” she whispered. Her eyes lifted to meet his. “That’s what this is. PTSD.”

He nodded. “Yes. I would agree. There are different levels, but I think you definitely have a foot-hold on the ladder, my darling.”

“Maybe Gandalf was right; maybe I _do_ need counselling. I just don’t find myself very comfortable with that,” she sighed.

“Then why not use the friends you have to do your therapy?” he suggested. He sat in the chair across from her, his hands clasped around his own coffee. “Talking with people that you know and trust would perhaps be as beneficial, if not more, than talking to a stranger.”

“I could consider that,” she acknowledged. “I talk to Robbie a lot, but I hadn’t told him all the shit from the past. I just didn’t think he needed to know.”

“Maybe now is the time to tell him,” he said softly. “What harm can it do? If it does not work, then we can try something else. But never think that you are alone with this, sweetheart. I am with you every step of the way.”

She smiled at him, ignoring the intense feeling of guilt that was tearing at her gut. She hadn’t told him about being fired, and had no intention of doing so, knowing he would shoulder responsibility. “Well as luck would have it, I have today off, so I might give him a call and see what he’s up to,” she said.

“Will you be ok if I go to work?” he asked. “I sense that you are not comfortable being here alone.”

“It’s not that. I just feel that this is your space, and it’s not right for me to be here if you aren’t,” she answered.

His eyebrows shot up at speed, then arched down into a deep frown. “Why would you say that? I have nothing to hide. You are not intruding. You’ve been living here for the last two weeks – surely you should be feeling more settled by now?”

“I do, I just think that I don’t really have the right to be here if you aren’t,” she said.

He scoffed, quickly downing his coffee. “You are mad,” he decided as he set the mug down. “Would you leave me alone in your house?”

“Of course.”

“Well then. Practice what you preach,” he told her, rising and leaning over the table. His mouth softly brushed over hers, making her hum in pleasure at the brief but intimate contact. “Go and get dressed, before I rip that flimsy housecoat from you, throw you across this table and ravish you. Then call Robbie, and set something up for today.”

“I kind of prefer the idea of you throwing me on the table and doing wicked things to me,” she grinned. “But you have work to go to. I’ll keep.”

His eyes sparkled. “Keep that thought. I shall deliver on it when I come home tonight, and that is a promise.” He turned away with a wink, his long blonde hair swishing around him as he moved.

A pang of longing shot through her, and she scowled as she shoved it aside and got to her feet, making for the shower upstairs.

It didn’t take her long to shower, and Thranduil was in the bedroom when she emerged with a towel wrapped around her. His nostrils flared as his eyes travelled the length of her body, his mind wishing he could ignore work and stick to his earlier thought of ravishing her.

“Call me if you need me, at _any_ time,” he said. “Do you promise?”

“I promise,” she said. She stood up on her toes to press her mouth to his, her knees weakening instantly as his tongue delved inside and he claimed his territory.

“I sorely wish I could just stay here today,” he whispered huskily as he drew back. He took a deep breath and turned towards the door. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

She did.

She loved him more than she ever thought she’d be able to love anyone, and the fact that he seemed to love her the same way had caught her on the back foot. She believed that she wasn’t worthy of a love such as what he showed her, and sometimes felt guilty for enjoying what he did to her and how he made her feel.

But she had seen his own eyes light up as he caught sight of her, seen the smile that appeared as soon as she came within visual distance.

Shrugging away the guilt over keeping her secret about her job from him, she whipped the towel off and hurriedly dressed in jeans and a comfortable t-shirt. Robbie’s cell phone rang in her ear as she fought into her sneakers with one hand, and she made arrangements for them to meet up. He told her he’d pick her up and they’d go to a coffee shop in town, and ended the call.

Her dark blue eyes swept the room as she sat on the edge of the bed, absorbing everything.

Again the guilt began to eat away at her.


	26. Chapter 26

** CHAPTER TWENTY SIX **

****

A ripple of laughter circled around the table where the seven friends and colleagues had congregated. Many empty coffee cups were scattered around between them, with fresh ones being dropped off regularly by the cheery hostess.

“I’m so glad you guys were off today,” Kai laughed, wiping tears of merriment away. “I think I really needed this.”

“You should have called us sooner, goddammit,” Ed grunted as he slapped Lucy’s hand away from his cookie. “We could’ve supported you through this, not abandoned you.”

“You didn’t abandon me,” she told him. “I chose to suffer in silence, as it were, and that was my own doing. Even Robs didn’t know.”

He snorted in disgust at her side. “And I’m _supposed_ to be her best friend,” he spat. “Some best friend.”

“Rob-bie,” she wailed. “Do you know how hard it was for me to face this shit, and to work up the courage to tell you all the truth about why I was off work? Did you ever put any thought into how I’ve had to fight to do this today?”

He shrieked as Tasha booted him below the table.

“Fucking quit that,” she warned him. “This isn’t about you, you selfish fuck. It’s about Kai.” She turned to her senior. “I just wish you’d felt that you could have come to any one of us,” she said in a softer tone. “Maybe what happened wouldn’t have happened.”

Kai shrugged with one shoulder. “Maybe, maybe not,” she said. “The point is, it happened, I’ve had to deal with it, and I’m here to tell the tale. The problem I have now is Alex and his fucking masterful actions in firing me.”

“He was out of line,” Tony growled. “And not one of us is happy with his decision.”

A silence descended over the group.

Kai glanced around her friends, sensing a different vibe. “What? What are you guys not telling me?”

Cassie looked away guiltily, then looked back at her. “Robbie went-“

“She doesn’t need to know that!” he snapped, banging his palm onto the table. Cups shook and rattled. “She has enough to deal with.”

“Know what?” she demanded. “What the hell’s going on?”

“She needs to know,” Cassie told him, and turned her attention back to her friend. “Robbie went up and had a screaming match with Alex. He fired him too.”

Kai gaped. _“What?!?”_ she gasped. “Robbie! What the hell did you put yourself in that position for? Now we’re both out of work…what were you thinking?!”

Eyes that she deemed to be far too beautiful for his gender held hers. “I wasn’t going to sit back and let him get away with it,” he answered her, after a few moments’ silence. “He was wrong, Kai. He should never have fired you; you’re too good a carer, you put everything you have into what you do.”

“But now we’re both in the shit,” she pointed out. “Goddammit…get back there and apologise for chrissakes.”

“Will I hell,” he huffed. “Hell will freeze over before I apologise to that condescending piece of shit.”

She rolled her eyes. “What a predicament,” she muttered.

“Why haven’t you told Thranduil?” Tony asked curiously.

“Because he’ll blame himself, and I’m not putting that unnecessary guilt onto his shoulders,” she answered. “Remember we only kissed in Cat’s because he was trying to throw that skank off his tail and get her to leave him alone. It’s because of that that this has all kicked off. But it’s not his fault, and I’m not having him think that it is.”

The girls in the group nodded collectively.

“I don’t think he’ll take the blame,” Ed surmised.

“He will,” she said. “I know him. I’ve been talking to him for months, I’ve spent a lot of time with him, even before we became a couple. I know how he thinks, how he feels things.”

“And how he feels,” Carrie whispered, snorting with laughter as Kai rolled up a paper napkin and tossed it at her. It bounced off her head and she laughed louder.

“Shut up, pervert,” she said with a grin.

“You _do_ look happier though honey, I have to say,” Lucy told her. “I see a difference. You’re almost glowing.”

She did glow, as her cheeks turned pink. “I’m crazy about him,” she said simply. “He treats me like a queen and makes me feel so special. I’m just sorry that I put him through a load of stress and grief that he didn’t need when I did what I did to myself.”

“I agree with your Long Haired Lover that no parent has the right to say anything like that to their child, no matter what age the child is or what they’ve done or not done with their life,” Tony put in. “Your old man needs a smack in the teeth for what he said.”

“I’ll hold the bastard down, you do the punching,” Robbie growled.

“It doesn’t solve the issue we face now though,” Kai sighed, leaning back in her chair. “I can’t keep telling Thranduil that I have a day off. I need to find another job. I don’t want to live off him either; it’s not fair and it’s not how I roll.”

“There’s night-shift jobs going in the grocery warehouse over on Fourth,” Cassie suggested. “My cousin does day shift there, and she’d get you in if you need a job straight away. They’re looking for immediate starts.”

She took a deep breath as she toyed with her half empty cup. “Leave it with me,” she said after giving it some thought. “I’ll text you in a day or two.”

“That’s a slap in the face for you, Flower,” Robbie said softly. “It’s way below your pay grade and your qualifications and experience.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” she told him. “And right now, I’m a beggar.”

“But a beggar with one _hunk_ of a boyfriend!” Lucy said with an evil grin. “He’s enough to make any hurts go away!”

Kai couldn’t stop the delirious smile that tugged at her lips, accompanied by a cheer that circled around the group.

“Pack it in, you lot,” she grumbled good-naturedly. “But yeah…he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Then let’s have a toast to continuing happiness!” Tasha yelled, lifting her mug.

“A toast with coffee?” Robbie practically screamed. “We need alcohol for a toast!”

The conversation steered rapidly towards an argument between the two of them, and Kai shook her head in amusement as they battled across the table.

*****

One week passed.

Kai decided to bite the bullet and applied for the nightshift position in the supermarket warehouse. She was accepted immediately, with very few questions asked about her previous work history or experience. Nobody asked her for references.

She hated it.

The shifts were long and hard, physically draining her and leaving her exhausted. The roll cages were taller than she was, and each one was stacked to the limit with stock. At least a minimum of forty cages rolled off the trucks every night, and everything had to be worked come the arrival of day shift in the morning. Time flew past during the night, but the workload was excessive and left her muscles screaming in protest.

Lunch was a speedy half hour during which she spent time alone, usually outside with her coffee and a cigarette, as the rest of her co-workers spoke very little to no English, so she wasn’t included in their conversations. She sorely missed nursing care, and thought about her patients and former colleagues every single night as she toiled away. Her heart ached to be with them, and as each night passed, the feeling grew within her.

She was on her fifth shift, when a figure leapt out from behind a shelving unit in a crouching position, hands raised ready to battle.

“Fuck sake Robbie!” she gasped. “You frightened the life out of me, you utter knob!”

He roared with laughter. “I thought I’d drop by and lighten your night,” he quipped, his eyes sparkling with merriment. “How’s it going?”

Her eyes changed. “It’s a job,” she replied, turning away and hauling a case of canned dog food from the top of a cage that was stacked above the legal limit. It crashed to the floor at her feet as she let it fall part way. “There’s nothing more to it than that.”

“That bad, huh?” He rested his weight against the cage, folding his arms. “Why not consider your options? Talk to your other half.”

She glanced up at him from her position kneeling on the floor as she tore the outer wrapping off. “No. I can’t tell him,” she said. “This is just temporary; I’ll sort something else out. It’s just a case of finding the time and then finding the right opportunity.”

He pursed his mouth as he considered her logic. “I still think you should tell Thranduil,” he decided after a few moments’ silence. “If he finds out you’re working here, he’ll go off his head because you haven’t told him.” He frowned. “Where did you tell him you are, anyway?”

She sighed, rocking back onto her heels and resting her forearms on her knees. “I told him that one of the nightshift staff is off indefinitely on sick leave, and I was covering until further notice,” she said quietly. “And I said that Alex has been busting everyone’s balls about the amount of personal phone calls, so he won’t call me there.”

Robbie slowly shook his head. “This isn’t good, Flower. You’re outright lying to him.”

Guilt washed over her. “I know,” she whispered. “But what choice do I have? I can’t tell him what really happened, Robs. He’d be so hurt. I can’t do that to him. He doesn’t deserve it.”

Dark eyes held hers. “He also doesn’t deserve being lied to,” he reminded her gently.

She turned away, tugging the cans free from the caseload and placing them on the shelf, turning the labels so they all faced outwards. “You’re not telling me something I don’t already know,” she said. “Every fucking night I go through this whole damned guilt thing. I don’t need you to make it worse.”

“I’m not trying to.” He dropped to his haunches at her side. “I’m trying to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life. If he finds out and goes apeshit, you stand to lose the most important thing in your whole life. The only guy who’s ever treated you like you deserve to be treated. Think about it.”

“I think about very little else,” she replied.

He could hear the pain in her voice. “You trust him, don’t you?”

“Of course I do,” she snapped, glaring at him. “He saved my goddamned life. He gave me a reason to pick myself up and start over again. Yes, I trust him.”

“Then talk to him,” he said softly. “Look at you. You’re worn out. You look tired, pale, and you look haggard. You can’t keep this up. The job’s too heavy and physically demanding for you, and you’re going to make yourself ill if you keep going on like this.”

She hesitated, rolling up the plastic wrapping and tossing it into the trash liner tied onto the side of the roll cage. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “Don’t ask anything more of me right now, Robs. I can’t give any more than that.”

“I’m here if you need me,” he reminded her.

“What are you doing here anyway?” she demanded.

“I jumped in for some chips and dips,” he replied with a smug grin. “I have a date coming over tonight for a late movie.”

“Oooo,” she laughed. “Do tell.”

*****

Thranduil carefully placed his cell phone onto the kitchen table, his troubled eyes on the device. A numb feeling began spreading through his bones and filtering through his body, cell by cell.

Kai was lying to him.

He swallowed.

All he’d ever asked of her was that she was honest and faithful to him, nothing else. He hated liars; couldn’t tolerate them having been surrounded by them his entire professional life.

But she’d broken her heartfelt promise and lied to his face. Taken him to bed and guided him beyond the heavens and the stars then walked out of the door with a blatant lie as to where she was going, what she was doing.

Pain sheared through him as his head lowered.

Inhaling deeply through his nose, he clenched his jaw as he dialled through to the nursing unit.

“Hey, can I speak with Kai Walker, please?” he asked as the call connected, changing his accent.

“Uh…I’m sorry Sir, but she’s not here right now,” the carer who answered the phone told him. “Can I help you at all?”

 “I’m so sorry, I may have got my time zones mixed up…I’m calling from overseas,” he said. “When would be a good time to speak with her?”

A few seconds’ silence followed.

“Kai no longer works here,” she said. “Who is this?”

He whipped the phone from his ear and cut the connection, livid. Fury flooded through him as he stood rigid, his heart beating hard in his chest.

He’d trusted her.

*****

Kai stepped out into the dark parking lot and wandered over to the pile of overturned pallets awaiting uplift. Carefully balancing her coffee, she wedged her weight up onto them, swinging her feet as she lit a cigarette.

So much for trying to quit.

The caffeine and nicotine did little to boost her mood as she reflected on how little she’d achieved and how much work she still had to get through before the day broke. The dayshift manager was temperamental, and often started his shift in a foul mood. She had yet to see him in a decent mood, or hear him say something positive in a normal tone of voice, as opposed to roaring and yelling insults at the workers.

She rolled her shoulders to ease the stiffness that had settled into her muscles. The distant roaring of an engine in the otherwise silent stillness caught her attention, growing louder as it approached at speed. Headlights came into view, and she blinked as the vehicle turned into the lot, screeching around and coming to a sudden halt a few feet from her.

Her heart stopped beating as a furious-looking Thranduil climbed out, slamming the door with force.

“Why can’t you tell me _what really happened_?” he demanded, advancing on her. “Why _would I be hurt_?”

She swallowed as a tremble shuddered through her body. He’d quoted word for word what she’d said only a few hours earlier to Robbie. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t know what to say.

Ice blue eyes continued to stare at her, and she could almost feel the waves of anger rolling from him in her direction.

“What are you doing here?” she asked when she finally found her voice.

“I may well ask you the same question,” he retorted.

Her mind worked overtime, but she couldn’t come up with anything reasonable to say.

“You owe me an explanation,” he said.

“I...” She trailed off, not sure what to say, and scared at the look in his eyes.

“No excuses? No more lies prepared? Nothing discussed with Robbie about how to cover your tracks if I found out?” he demanded. “You surprise me. I thought you had everything worked out.”

“I don’t…” She trailed off. “What do you mean, why would you be hurt?”

Fury blazed from his normally loving eyes. Right now, love was the furthest emotion in them. She was staring into the heart of a war. “You tell me,” he snapped, and turned on his heel. He slid onto the driver’s seat of the 4x4, slammed the door and gunned the engine, screeching out of the parking lot. His tail lights faded into the distance.

Kai sank back down onto the wooden pallets that had shifted as she’d leapt up from them, stunned. Her body trembled violently, and she felt sick.

She’d lost Thranduil.

The one person who’d showed her any kind of love or emotion, the one person she swore blind that she’d never hurt.

How the hell had he found out where she was? She knew Robbie would never say anything, yet he’d repeated what she’d said only recently. How would he know what their conversation had been? What they’d said, in exact words? She shook her head, trying to make sense of what had just happened and more importantly, how the hell to fix it. The thought crossed her mind to call Robbie, but it was almost two o’clock in the morning and she didn’t want to disturb him. But questions pounded hard and fast through her mind, followed by nothing. No answers, no explanations, no reasons.

She lifted her head and watched through tear-filled eyes as headlights appeared and approached, the rumble of a car engine catching her attention. The SUV whipped back into the parking lot, screeching to a halt just feet from her.

Thranduil wound the window down. “Get in the car,” he commanded.

“I can’t...I’m at work,” she whispered feebly, glancing at the darkened building.

“Fine,” he snapped, and put his foot on the gas.

“Thranduil, wait!” she cried, jumping to her feet again.

The car stopped.

She hesitated, torn between keeping her job which she needed to survive, or keeping her relationship which meant everything to her.

The engine revved impatiently.

She flew over to the passenger side of the car, climbing in. It screeched away before the door was fully closed. Fastening her seat belt, she risked a glance at Thranduil, who was stony faced as he gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white.

The atmosphere in the car was so tense, she could hardly breathe. Turning away from him, she focused instead on the darkness outside the car as it swept through the city.

Eventually he brought the car to a screeching halt outside his home, leapt out and slammed the door so hard, the whole vehicle rocked.

Kai slid out of her side, closing the door quietly, and followed him up the steps into the house. She blinked against the bright lights as he stormed down the hallway, hurrying to keep up with him. He turned into the kitchen, slamming the door closed once she was inside.

He folded his arms and glared at her, his features carved in granite. “How long did you think you could get away with lying to me?” he demanded, his voice cold and hard. “I can’t believe you’d pull a stunt like this Kai, this isn’t just some crappy piece of information you forgot to tell me. You told me a deliberate lie.”

She swallowed. “I had to deal with it, process what was happening,” she said, unsure of what to say so as not to anger him further. She’d never seen him like this, never known him to be angry. He was always tender and loving, and even when he was completely occupied with his work, he always had a kind word or a kiss for her. “I just needed time.”

“I asked you on your first day back after being off if you’d had any trouble and how your day had gone,” he said. “You denied any trouble, and said your day had been ok.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he went on.

“You told me you weren’t allowed personal calls at work, you told me you were covering nights for someone off ill. You made it up as you went along,” he said. “I want to know why. I want to know why you lied to me.”

“I didn’t want to come running to you with my problems,” she answered, which was partly true. “It was my problem to fix, not yours...can’t you see that?”

“You lied to my fucking face!” he screamed, his eyes blazing. “The one thing I cannot stand and will not tolerate is liars, yet you stood right in front of me, told me a fucking lie, then went to bed with me and fucked me! Is that what you do? Is that how you get your kicks?”

Her jaw dropped in horror. “Oh my God Thranduil, how can you say that? No, I don’t do that, I can’t...I can’t believe you said that,” she gasped. “I think I’m going to be sick...” Turning away from him, she leaned over, bracing her hands on the edge of the worktop for support as she dragged air into her lungs. Breathing heavily, she gripped the worktop and closed her eyes.

“I’ve had people lie to me all my life!” he shouted at her back. “Why the fuck should you be any different? I believed in you, I believed you were different! But you just had to prove me wrong, didn’t you?”

Opening her eyes and forcing herself to turn and face him, she shook her head. “No Thranduil, I promise it’s not like that. I promise.”

“Do not promise anything,” he hissed, stepping closer to her. She could see the flames of anger in the depths of his icy eyes. “Don’t you _dare_ make promises to me.”

Tears flowed down her cheeks. “You’re not letting me explain,” she cried.

“What is there to explain?” he demanded. “The truth isn’t something you’re even on talking terms with these days. I wonder if it ever was! Maybe you _were_ looking for your fifteen minutes of fame. Well now you have it.”

Her face went chalk white, and for a second he thought she was going to faint.

“Thranduil...I don’t know what to say to you,” she whispered brokenly. “I don’t know why you’re thinking like that, or where you’ve got that idea from, but I swear on my life it’s so wrong. So, so wrong.”

The flames of anger were burning an inferno in his eyes. “Let’s just say I have my ways of finding things out.”

She shook her head, devastated at how wrong things had gone. “I can’t talk to you like this,” she whispered. “I can’t explain if you won’t listen to me, or give me a chance.”

“You had your chance,” he snarled, and turned on his heel, slamming the door behind him as he left the kitchen.

Kai stood for a few minutes, breathing deeply and trying to regain some momentum in a world which was spinning and crashing around her. Thranduil had found out about her predicament in the wrong way, and God only knew what else he’d been told. To have him accuse her of using him for his name cut her to the pit of her soul. She loved him to the ends of the earth and back, and would never have deliberately hurt him. But in this kind of mood, there was no way she could reason with him, as he wasn’t prepared to give her a chance.

She went out into the hallway and found it empty.

Deciding the only option she had was to leave, she trudged along the hallway to the door, tugging it open to step out into the surrounding darkness.


	27. Chapter 27

** CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN **

****

Thranduil paced restlessly up and down his bedroom, still fuming. He couldn’t believe that Kai would tell such a huge lie, and it definitely was a huge one. Or ones, as there clearly appeared to be more than one. Why tell him she wasn’t allowed phone calls, and that she was working nights to cover someone else? Why change jobs at all? Why hadn’t she said she didn’t want to go back into Care?

He stopped pacing, his eyebrows coming down into a frown as common sense slowly picked through his temper.

Kai loved her job. He knew that. She lived for it, and gave it everything she had. She devoted her life to old people that nobody else seemed to want, that nobody could be bothered looking after. She became the family they didn’t have. She looked after them, bathed them, fed them, read to them, tucked them into bed, loved them, and at the end of everything, she buried them and cried for them as though they were her own.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

He left the room and took the stairs two at a time, to see her opening the main door. She jumped as he swept up behind her and reached over her shoulder, slamming it closed again. Gripping her upper arm, he turned her to face him, shocked to see her eyes bloodshot from crying.

“Talk to me, Kai,” he said. “I need to know how things managed to get this bad. Tell me everything.”

She lowered her head as she fought for composure.

He waited.

“Will you listen to me? Will you hear what I have to say?” she asked as she eventually lifted her head again. “Will you hear me out?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes. I will.”

Dark blue eyes filled with heartbreak searched his, seemingly looking for reassurance of some sort.

“I will listen,” he promised quietly.

She sighed softly as they walked side by side in silence, returning to the kitchen where he pulled a chair out from the table for her and motioned for her to sit. She watched him warily as he turned and prepared coffee. Choosing to remain quiet, she waited until he’d completed the task and was sat down adjacent to her.

 

“So tell me,” he said, holding her gaze for a few seconds then dropping it to stare into his coffee.

The mug cradled in her numb hands emitted its warmth into her. “Alex called me up into his office the day I went back to work,” she said. Her voice was so quiet, he strained to hear her. “He wasn’t happy with my work, and said that because of what I’d done, I was a liability and he didn’t want me around the patients.”

Dark eyebrows arched downwards. “What do you speak of, what you had done?” he questioned.

“The scars,” she said, twisting her wrist round.

His eyes dropped to the wounds, a fresh feeling of anguish shooting through him as he recalled in vivid detail finding her slouched unconscious over the bath, slowly bleeding to death. “He cannot say things like that,” he said, swallowing with difficulty. “He has a legal obligation towards his staff.”

“I’m not his staff anymore. He fired me.”

“He _what_?!”

She nodded. “He fired me.”

Silence.

“I still do not understand why you did not tell me,” he said, raising his eyes at last to meet hers.

She looked away. “I was embarrassed, and angry,” she told him. “He’s taken away something that’s very important to me, it’s who I am. For him to destroy that, it crushed me, Thranduil. Absolutely crushed me.”

“I can understand that,” he acknowledged. “But you and Robbie concocted every conceivable answer to any questions...you thought this through.”

“I didn’t want to bring my problems to you. I wanted to find a solution by myself and work it out, without burdening you with it,” she told him.

“Why do you worry about being a burden?” he asked, his eyebrows coming down into a deep frown. “I do not understand it.”

She shook her head, fighting to keep her emotions at bay. “It’s just how I am,” she said softly.

A few seconds passed, before he gently tipped her chin up so she would look at him. “There’s more that you are not telling me,” he said.

Her heart stopped.

“That’s it,” she whispered.

One eyebrow lifted. “We may not have been together all that long, but I know you, Kai. I watch people in my life, I read their emotions, their body language, their inner thoughts. I know that I am not getting the full story here.”

Tears tipped over her eyelashes and poured down her face.

“What is it?” he asked, his tone soft. “Tell me.”

“I can’t,” she whispered, not trusting her voice to speak.

“Yes you can,” he replied, his voice matching hers.

She trembled visibly, and the sight tore his heart apart.

“He’s got me on gross misconduct,” she said, her voice having gone even quieter.

“On what grounds? What did you do?” he asked.

She shook her head, pulling away from his touch and looking at something over his shoulder.

“Come on Kai, we have come this far,” he gently prompted. “Maybe it’s something I can help with. I know without a shadow of a doubt that you would never hurt any of your patients, so it can’t be that. You’re really careful about medication, so it couldn’t be that. You are patient and compassionate, you are dedicated, you give everything you have...what on earth did he get you on?”

Taking a deep breath, she decided she had nothing to lose. “An inappropriate relationship with the legal guardian of a patient,” she whispered.

Ice blue eyes stared at her for a few moments, until the pieces clicked together. “He fired you because we’re in a _relationship?_!” he exclaimed.

Wiping tears away, she nodded. “Yes. I told him we didn’t get together until after Jack had passed away, but he wasn’t having it. He sacked me on the spot and now he’s sacked Robbie too. He’s gone after him for revenge because we’re close, and out of badness.”

“He fired you because of me,” he said quietly. “How did he find out?”

Using her sleeves to wipe her cheeks, she took a deep breath to steady herself. “He showed me a photo on his phone,” she told him. “It was us, in Cat’s…we were kissing as we were dancing. I don’t know how he got it, but he was going nuts.”

His eyes narrowed as he turned her words over in his head. Two more pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. “I know _exactly_ how he got it,” he hissed in anger.

She shrunk away slightly.

His eyes softened as he looked back at her. “I do not mean to alarm you,” he said, his tone softer. “I know the source of the picture.”

 “I’ve put everything I have into my work Thranduil, it’s my vocation in life, just like your acting is yours,” she said, her voice broken. “I know it’s not the same, but dementia care meant the world to me.”

“I know sweetheart, I know,” he said. His eyes were cast downwards, and he had pulled away from her a little. “What do you want to do?”

She waited until he looked back at her, the emotion raw in his beautiful blue eyes. “I want to find my way back to care,” she whispered.

His heart stopped.

Closing his eyes for a few moments, he turned her words over in his mind. She’d chosen her job, the life she was used to, was comfortable in, and was expertly placed in.

She hadn’t chosen him.

Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and looked back at her. “I’ll make a few calls when it gets light, see if I can get my attorneys onto this. Maybe they can figure out a way to override Alex’s decision, or a way to appeal your dismissal. Leave it with me. I cannot promise anything, except that I will do my best.”

She nodded, gazing into her coffee as she twisted the cup on the table top. “Thankyou,” she murmered. “I feel so lost...I hate working at the store, I hate stacking fucking shelves, I hate being away from my patients. They’re like family to me, they’re a part of me. It’s difficult to explain. I just miss them so much.”

“I know,” he said. “I have never seen anyone as devoted as you are to what you do. You put a thousand percent into it, and that’s hard to find.”

“A lot of good it did me,” she said sadly. “Alex wasn’t prepared to listen to me or hear my side. He’s pissed off, he’s on a mission, and he won’t budge.”

He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “We’ll see what my attorneys say in the morning,” he said. Sad eyes held hers. “I’d better get you back to the store.”

She glanced at the clock on the wall behind him. “I won’t have a job to go back to,” she murmered. “My break was only a half-hour. I’ve been gone over an hour and a quarter. Fuck...” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know if life can get any shittier.”

“I will think of something to say to your boss,” he said. “I shall call him later. It’s the least I can do...think of it as my way of saying sorry for not being there for you, and wishing you the best for the future.”

She stared at him, fear and shock in her eyes. “Oh Thranduil…no...” She pushed the seat back, rising to her feet and turning away from him as more tears flowed down her face.

“Kai, what is the matter?” he asked in concern, rising from his seat. “What did I say?”

“That sounded so final...like it’s the end of us,” she said, refusing to turn and look at him.

Behind her, his eyebrows shot up. He’d thought she was finished with him. Closing the distance between them, he grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “I thought...I thought you wanted your career over our relationship,” he said, looking for answers in her bloodshot eyes.

“Yes I want my career,” she said, wiping tears away. “It means more to me than I can find words for. But so do you, and if I have to choose, then I choose you! I love you Thranduil, I love you so much...I should’ve told you the truth the day it all happened, but I didn’t want you to blame yourself. And I knew you would; you’re that kind of person.”

He searched her eyes, his confusion clear in his. “I…I thought…” he stammered.

She pulled her lips in in an attempt to regain some sort of control as she shook her head. “If I had to choose between you and my career, then I’ll stay at the supermarket stacking shelves, or cleaning toilets somewhere, or whatever I need to do to earn a living, but I _can’t_ walk away from you Thranduil…I just can’t. You’re everything to me, and if that means that my career in nursing care is over, then so be it, because I choose you over _everything._ ”

His lower lip trembled slightly, and he tugged her into his arms, crushing her to him and burying his face in her hair. “I love you so much, my darling,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I was angry and shouted; I should not have done that. I was just hurt that you had lied to me, but I understand now why you did. I’m sorry.” His last words came out as a harsh whisper.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you in the beginning,” she whispered back. “I love you more than anything, and I always will.”

He turned his head and placed a soft kiss to her neck, murmering soft words of comfort as his arms tightened around her. They stood together, unconcerned about time or anything around them, just taking and giving strength to each other.

“I suppose I should get back,” she murmered reluctantly as they eventually pulled away from one another, but still maintaining contact. Her blue eyes lifted to his.

“Quit,” he said suddenly.

“What?” Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Quit,” he repeated.

“I…I…I can’t quit,” she whispered. “I need an income-“

“No you do not,” he cut her off. “I can provide for both of us. Next excuse.”

Her eyes flicked between his as she looked desperately for something to grasp onto, some sort of reality. “I…Thranduil, I can’t do that,” she said. “I just can’t. It’s not how I function…I couldn’t put that on your shoulders.”

“Then come and work for me,” he suggested. “I am sure I can find something for you to do.”

She shook her head, pulling back from his touch. “This is…I can’t think,” she said, dragging her hands through her hair.

He watched her with a heavy sadness in his heart. “Let me take care of you,” he urged in a soft whisper.

Her gaze darted back to his. “I need to go out for a smoke,” she said, turning away and heading for the door.

He watched her go, with the sadness becoming heavier.

Kai left the house and crossed the grass towards the low stone wall, where she lowered herself to sit on it and lit a cigarette. Inhaling deeply, she tilted her head and gazed up into the dark sky, the stars twinkling and sparkling as though to tell her that everything would turn out for the best; they were still there for her.

Her thoughts tumbled and turned in her mind like a laundry drier on mid-cycle. Thranduil had made her two very generous offers, but she didn’t feel comfortable in accepting either of them. She didn’t want to hurt him; that was the last thing she wanted to do. But she didn’t feel that she could give in and take him up on either choice. Her problems were her own, and were never meant to be placed under his responsibility.

The scent of the rose bush a few feet away from her caught her nose, and she lowered her head back to look at it. The blossoms were in full bloom, the slight breeze gently wafting their gorgeous perfume towards her in warm, comforting waves.

Turning her head further, she wasn’t surprised to see Thranduil standing behind her in the darkness. Tall and imposing, he stood silently watching her, his hands in his pockets. But he didn’t move.

She patted the wall beside her. “I don’t bite,” she said.

He hesitated, then slowly approached her. Sitting down next to her, he pursed his mouth as he considered his words. “I have offended you,” he said finally. “And I am sorry.”

“You haven’t,” she corrected him. The breeze lifted the ends of his long hair slightly, drawing her eye. “Honestly, you haven’t.”

“I feel like I have.” Ice blue eyes caught hers. “And that is not what I wanted to do.”

She nodded. “I know. I just have… _issues…_ accepting help,” she murmered, and shrugged. “It’s my problem.” A heavy sigh left her, coming from the pit of her soul. “I know I have lots of baggage; stuff that you shouldn’t have to cope with or have to bear witness to.”

He silently reached over and took her hand, wrapping his larger one around it.

A few moments passed.

“Perhaps I _want_ to cope with it and bear witness to it,” he told her. “Perhaps this is what I have chosen in my life, and it is the way I wish to spend my life.”

Uncertain eyes met his.

“I have one other offer for you,” he said.

Her eyebrow lifted in question.

“Marry me.”

She gasped. “ _What?_ ”

“Not exactly the response I was aiming for, but at least you have not said no,” he said. “Marry me, Kai. Be my wife.”

“But…Thranduil, you haven’t known me all that long,” she whispered. “And in the time we _have_ known each other, I’ve put you through some pretty fucking heavy shit.”

Calm eyes held hers. “And I have coped, have I not?” he questioned. “I have stood with you, helped you in any way I could, and now I want to do that for the rest of my life.”

Her mouth finally closed as she swallowed, and he could see the tell-tale glimmer of tears in her eyes.

“I’m not good enough,” she said in a choked whisper.

His hands moved to grip her upper arms. “Says who? I certainly do not share these thoughts,” he told her. “Kai, I love you with everything in my heart and soul. I want to marry you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to make memories with you, and take new journeys through life with you.”

Hot tears spilled over her eyelashes and streamed down her cheeks.

He shook his head slowly as he lifted a hand and gently wiped them away. “Do not cry, my little Tiger feet,” he whispered softly. “I do not wish for you to be unhappy.”

“I’m not,” she said. “I’m just…I’m just so…”

He tilted his head a little, urging her to continue. “So what?”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, her head lowering.

He rested his cheek on her hair, giving her time to compose her thoughts.

Eventually she lifted her head back up and looked at him, her questions clear in her eyes.

Ice blue stared back at her. “Marry me,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she said, as more tears trickled free. “Yes…I will marry you.”

A huge grin lit up his face as he swept her against him, cradling her close. “I love you so much, my darling,” he told her. His words were muffled as he spoke into her hair. “I will do everything I can to make you as happy as you could ever be, I promise.”

“You don’t have to,” she replied. Her hands fisted in the soft fabric of his hooded top. “I’m happy when I’m with you.”

He closed his eyes, savouring the blueberry aroma that drifted up from her as his arms tightened around her.


	28. Chapter 28

** CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT **

****

The moonlight shimmered on the water as ripples fanned across the smooth, dark surface. The night air was still warm, a subtle breeze teasing the leaves of the trees. The leaves were the only thing that moved, save the gentle ripples in the water.

Kai burst up from underneath, gasping a huge lungful of air, the smooth surface around her disrupted. She wiped the water away from her face with her hands, breathing heavily. Flipping over, she kicked her feet and floated on her back down the length of the swimming pool. The stars in the velvet black sky miles above her twinkled and winked; and she gazed at them as she floated, mesmerised.

Unknown to her, Thranduil stood in the shadows, his arms folded, watching her. She’d slipped out of bed half an hour previously, trying not to waken him. The cool air on his skin as she’d left his side had drawn him to consciousness, and he wondered where she’d silently disappeared off to. As he went through to the bathroom, he’d heard a faint splash, and knew she’d gone for a swim. Padding after her, he was content to observe her silently, just watching her be at peace with herself. She’d been through a lot in recent weeks, but he’d seen a more settled side of her since their discussion a few hours earlier in the darkness of the garden.

He smiled to himself, shouldering his weight off the wall and approaching her on silent bare feet.

She flipped over, treading water. “Thranduil?”

“It’s only me, baby,” he reassured her, appearing out of the darkness. “I did not intend to scare you.”

“You didn’t,” she replied with a smile. “How long have you been there?”

He shrugged as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “A short while.”

“The direction of the breeze must have changed. I caught a smell of your cologne.”

He stopped at the edge of the pool, lowering himself to sit, contented to observe her.

One eyebrow lifted. “Are you not coming in?” she teased with a playful grin.

“Now?”

“No, next week,” she shot back with a laugh. “Yes, now.”

He cast a look downwards, eyeing his low-slung pyjamas, and looked back at her.

She maintained eye contact as she sunk beneath the water, hitting the bottom and propelling herself back up with a powerful boost off the tiles. Her hands peeled her swimsuit down her body as she surfaced.

He blinked, swallowing as his gaze followed her movements, captivated as her breasts came into view, her nipples hard and dark as the water rolled off her shoulders and down her curves. The swimsuit disappeared from view, and she changed positions slightly to peel it down her legs, leaving herself naked in the dark water. The piece of clothing floated on the surface, bobbing slightly with the ripples as she moved. She lifted her arms and pulled her wet hair away from her face, the movement lifting her breasts higher.

His mouth suddenly felt as dry as a desert. His pyjama bottoms seemed to tighten, as his almost immediate erection sprang to life, surprising him after what they’d done to each other only an hour or so previously.

He found himself unable to function a coherent thought as she moved towards him, taking hold of his legs and moving him around to face her. His legs hung over the edge, the bottom of his pyjamas getting soaked. She curled her fingers under his waistband and pulled, staring him out as he lifted his hips slightly. The tiles felt cool against his skin as he settled back, the warm breeze caressing his hot skin as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. His breath left him with a soft gasp as he felt her hot, wet mouth close around him. Her tongue twisted around the tip of him as she took him as far into her mouth as she could, until she felt him hit the back of her throat. Her hands ran up his arms, down over his chest and down his thighs, going back up and sliding around him to squeeze his cheeks. The cold surface felt like it was moving as he gulped in oxygen; her lips and tongue taking him higher and higher as she pleasured him. He opened his legs wider to give her more room, as her hands slid back round to grasp hold of him. She worked him up and down as she sucked on him, the cool water dripping off her and splashing onto his skin. He opened his eyes and stared up at the sky, at the same stars she’d been staring at just a short while ago.

“Baby,” he whispered. “Kai...”

“Hm?” She continued what she was doing, closing her eyes and losing herself in the moment. He felt so good, smelled so good, she was afraid to break the connection and break the spell.

He tangled his fingers in her hair, dragging her up away from his throbbing member. She bent her legs and pushed up, meeting him for a hot, hungry kiss. Her arms wound around his neck as his tongue pushed into her mouth, and he went forward with her as she sank back into the water, the two of them entering with a loud splash. He wrapped his arms around her, the smooth, wet skin under his fingers driving him wild with lust. They twisted and turned with each other, desperate for the ultimate closeness. Kai dragged her arms down his and pushed his pyjamas right down, lifting a foot under the water to push them to his feet. She curved her leg over his hip, pushing against his hardness, the tingling between her legs making her knees weak. He thrust back, groaning into her as he felt his tip slide across her wet opening.

Aware that he was desperately close to climaxing, he lifted her, the water helping him. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he sank into her, throwing her head back in ecstasy. She felt the edge of the pool against her back as he turned with her, pushing her against the tiles as he thrust deep into her. Pulling him back to her, she hungrily crushed her mouth to his, her tongue dancing with his in a feverish tango as the water rippled and splashed around them. He pushed in deeper, flexing and swelling inside her.

“Sweetheart, I have to stop,” he gasped, dragging his mouth away from hers. She chased him, dragging him back, whimpering as her lips met his once more. Pushing her tongue back into his mouth, she tightened her arms around his neck as he responded, holding him tightly.

“No…no, I have to stop!” he whispered frantically, lifting her legs from around him. “I can’t…not right now.”

The disappointment in her eyes didn’t last long as he braced his hands under her thighs and hoisted her up, sitting her on the edge of the pool. He opened her legs, leaning forwards and sweeping his tongue across her.

“You first,” he murmered, using his forearms to hold her thighs apart.

She whimpered in pleasure as his tongue danced around in between her legs, pushing into her and swirling around her ultra-sensitive clitoris. Her hips lifted as she tried to get closer, but he restricted her movements.

“Just lie back and enjoy,” he whispered, continuing his torment. She took his advice, leaning back so she was lying on the tiles, her legs wide open to him. The soft breeze cooled her hot skin, the moisture drying quickly. Her nipples stood proud and erect, desperate for some sort of touch. She automatically ran her hands up her body, squeezing her breasts as the tension mounted. Her head rolled to one side as she felt him push a finger into her, then another. His tongue still rubbed against her, circling around her clit and rubbing across it. She moved against him, panting as his mouth moved faster, her hips straining against him, her muscles tightening and tensing as he angled his head, changing the pressure of his movements.

A deep moan left her lips as he lightened his touch, softening his tongue and lightly dragging it across her opening. His fingers continued to slide in and out of her, her juices soaking his hand.

“Thranduil…” she panted, her body tensing tighter.

“Hmm?” he murmered against her, not breaking contact. When she didn’t answer, he smiled. “Is this good, my love?”

She pulled her knees up, gasping as every nerve down her back, across her stomach and between her legs tingled, her muscles constricting, her back arching involuntarily as she felt her orgasm creeping up on her.

“Do you want to come?” he murmered, still flicking his tongue lightly against her.

“Mmm, yes Thranduil…please…” she gasped. “Oh God…”

The stars seemed to spin out of control above her as he pleasured her. At the very last second, just as she was about to explode, he pulled away, quickly grabbing her hips and sliding her forward off the edge of the poolside. A howl left her as she sank onto the rock-hard length of him, climaxing as he penetrated her, her entire body convulsing and thrashing against him. She felt him pinning her against the side of the pool, slamming into her, hard. Her legs locked around him as she arched against him, desperate to feel him as deep inside her as he could get. The water splashed around them, their squirming bodies causing waves to splash and ripple across the pool. Her orgasm rocked on and on, her entire body shaking and trembling with the aftershocks as he pounded into her relentlessly.

He dragged both hands up from her hips, up her sides to grasp both her breasts, squeezing her as his hips thrust harder and deeper. “My God, Kai…” he gasped, burying his face against her neck. “This feels so damned good…”

“Fuck me harder, Thranduil,” she gasped, his fingers teasing her nipples and prolonging her climax. “Jesus Christ…fuck me harder..!”

He pushed as deep and as hard inside her as he could go, as he exploded in a massive orgasm that shook him to the core, his knees buckling and giving way under him. The two of them sunk deeper into the water, clinging to each other as the warm fluid lapped around them, wrapping them in a silky cocoon. His hips frantically pushed forward, trying to bury himself deep as he continued to pulse and spurt into her womb.

Eventually they drifted apart; Thranduil lying on his back and floating, Kai treading water with a satisfied smile on her face.

“I did not know you could swim,” he murmered as he gazed up at the velvet black sky.

“Like a fish,” she replied. “Robbie taught me. He used to drag me down to the leisure centre and give me a hard time until I got the hang of it.”

He flipped over so he was treading water before her, and gazed at her in the moonlight. “You never learned as a child?”

She snorted. “Are you serious? No. I didn’t. I never had the chance.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly.

“Don’t be,” she said. “I’m not. Anything I missed out on as a kid, I can pick up as an adult. Maybe I’ll appreciate things more.”

“That’s sad though,” he remarked. “I had Legolas swimming when he was just learning to walk. I always had him in the water since birth. It was one thing I wanted to be sure of, that if the need ever arose, he would be alright in water.”

“That’s a good outlook,” she told him. “When is he due to arrive?”

“The day after tomorrow,” he said with a smile. “I am looking forward to seeing him again, and introducing you to him. You will love him, I promise.”

She made a face.

“Stop it,” he laughed. “Honestly, I did not think you were so self-conscious, my darling. I never saw that side of you when we first met.”

“When we first met, you were shown the professional side of me, not the hidden side that only comes out around those I love and trust,” she said. Her words were soft.

He closed the distance between them, taking her in his arms. “I hope you know that I love and trust you beyond anything,” he whispered. “And I am privileged that you show me your softer side. I feel so lucky that someone like me could ever be with someone as wonderful as you.”

She lifted a hand up, dripping water onto his muscular shoulders as she tucked his long hair behind his ear. “What d’you mean, someone like you? What’s that all about?” she asked with a slight frown.

He shrugged. “It’s difficult establishing relationships when you are in the spotlight,” he told her. “You never know who to trust, or who you can let inside your barriers. Some people show you what they think you want to see, and as soon as they get inside, they use and abuse, or sell you out to the highest bidder. That is the greed of the world, I’m afraid.”

“I would never do that to you,” she whispered.

“I know,” he whispered back. “And I am so sorry I accused you of using my name. I should not have said that, and I cannot believe I did. I was hurt, and angry…but that is no excuse.”

She tugged him down towards her and crushed her mouth to his, murmering in pleasure as his warm lips moved against hers. “Stop that shit,” she told him, breaking away a little to look at him. “Things get said in the heat of an argument. I’d told you a load of lies, you were mad, and rightly so. I know what it must’ve looked like. Stop punishing yourself.” Her hands moved up and down his biceps, her fingers flexing against the solid muscle.

“I was wrong,” he said.

“So was I. Now let’s get out of the pool, get dried off, and back into bed. It won’t be long before daylight, and neither of us will want to get up this side of supper time tonight if we stay out here much longer,” she said.

He dropped a kiss on her mouth, and swiftly lifted her up out of the water. She squealed and laughed at the sudden movement , her insides clenching in desire at the sudden strength. How that happened, she didn’t know. She’d had two earth-shattering, planet-exploding orgasms within two hours, yet her body was ready for more.

Thranduil placed his palms on the tiles at the edge of the pool and lifted himself out. He reached for the pile of towels and wrapped one around her as she rose to her feet beside him, and softly nuzzled her neck as he fastened it around her. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she said, turning towards his kiss.

*****

“You should find the set an interesting place,” Thranduil stated, swinging his hand which was wrapped around Kai’s as they walked from his car to the studio he was filming at. “There’s a lot of amazing people, all different varieties and personalities. I think you will fit in quite well.” He smiled down at her.

She returned the gesture. “I’m looking forward to seeing you do your stuff,” she admitted.

“Thankfully I have no intimate scenes with Olivia today,” he said. “I would not wish for you to have to witness that. I would only imagine that it would be particularly inappropriate, given our situation.”

She shrugged. “It’s a job; I just have to accept that,” she replied nonchalantly. Inside, she thought she’d probably be more likely to poke the actress’s eyes out if she saw her mauling him, but she kept that thought to herself. Where it belonged.

“Nevertheless, it is not something I would willingly subject you to,” he told her as he opened the door and allowed her to pass through in front of him. “Some things, although horrid to do, should be kept hidden away, as it were.”

“Are you saying you _don’t_ enjoy romping with the curvy glamourous lady?” she teased with a grin.

He slanted her a wry look. “I will not lower myself to respond to that,” he muttered.

“You just did,” she laughed.

“Hey! Thranduil! Good to see you back, man!” a cheery voice yelled.

They turned to see a slightly smaller, but still tall in his own right, man approaching them, a wide grin on his face.

“Sid, good to see you too,” Thranduil replied with a smile of his own. “Kai, this is Sidney, my co-star who is currently enjoying filming beating the shit out of me. Sid, this lovely lady is Kai, my fiancée.”

“Wow…congratulations!” the actor beamed, shaking her hand. “When did this happy occasion take place?”

“Just recently,” he answered. “We haven’t made a formal announcement as yet.”

“Wonderful news,” Sid said. “How have you been? You’ve been missed around here these last two weeks.”

“I had personal things to take care of,” the blonde answered smoothly, his grip on Kai’s hand tightening ever so slightly. “But it’s all good, so it’s onwards and upwards from here on.”

“Fantastic,” Sid said. “Are you heading for a coffee before you go through to make-up? I think Otis is in the cafeteria, and I know he’s looking for a chat with you before we do our scene.”

He nodded. “Yes. I will take Kai and show her around first, then I’ll see him as soon as,” he responded. “Is it a full set today?”

The other man shook his head. “Nope. Only around half the cast are here; the ones who weren’t needed are busy in the workshop and doing other stuff to keep them out of Otis’s hair. He’s been going demented trying to pull this effort together and keep it within the budget.”

Thranduil quirked one eyebrow slightly but didn’t answer. “I will see you on set shortly,” he said instead. “Come on my darling, let me show you round the studios.”

They left Sid and crossed the massive floor space, which was littered with pieces from sets, boxes of all shapes and sizes, packaging, discarded items of clothing, and other paraphernalia that meant nothing to Kai. Groups of people loitered around, reading scripts, arguing about different styles, disagreeing with different ways of doing whatever they were to do, building backgrounds, and a thousand other things.

Each cluster of people nodded and greeted Thranduil as they passed, giving her pleasant smiles in the process.

Her heart thumped hard in her chest as she caught sight of Olivia emerging from a dressing room.

The actress looked _stunning._

She wore a gold sequinned dress that hugged her body, falling to her feet and gently skimming the floor. The top was cut into a low V that accentuated her generous bust. Her hair was swept up into an immaculate twist, and her makeup was flawless.

Kai immediately felt like a wilting flower.

Thranduil’s fingers squeezed hers, hard.

Olivia’s eyes met his, her face hardening as she noticed Kai at his side, her eyes dropping to their clasped hands.

“Do _not_ let her have this power over you,” he whispered to her. “ _You_ are the one with me, not her. _You_ are going to be my wife, not her. Remember that.”

She hummed a reply, keeping her expression neutral. Her nerves however, were a different matter. Anger boiled through her blood at the memory of how the woman had treated her and spoken to her, and it wasn’t something she was likely to forget in a hurry.

“Thranduil,” Olivia coo’d. “We missed you.”

He grunted, mentally pushing his strength to his lover through their joined hands. “I am sure things still progressed in my absence,” he replied dryly.

The woman turned a sickly smile towards Kai. “How are you dear? You must be exhausted, working such hard shifts in such a back-breaking physical job.”

She didn’t bat an eyelid. “My energy levels are just fine,” she replied.

Olivia nodded, the cogs in her mind turning at speed.

“We have somewhere else to be,” Thranduil spoke up, before she had the chance to say anything else. He swiftly walked Kai away, not looking back. Once they were in another section of the building, she stopped and tugged him to a halt.

“Is there something I should know?” she asked him, gazing up into his eyes.

He swallowed. “Such as?”

She frowned. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear…” She trailed off.

“Swear what?”

A short silence followed. “I’d swear she knows I’m not in the care unit anymore,” she said eventually.

The faint pink blush that blossomed on his cheeks gave her the answer she was looking for, and a chill settled in the pit of her stomach.

“Thranduil…did you _tell_ her?” she asked, horrified.

“No,” he said immediately. “I did not.”

“But she knows.”

He nodded reluctantly. “Yes.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Then how-“ She stopped suddenly. “No…no way…how could she know?!”

He took a deep breath, then took her other hand in his so he held both of them. “She overheard you talking to Robbie,” he said quietly. “She was in the store when you were working, and heard everything. And within a heartbeat she was on the phone to me, telling me all that you had said.”

Kai stood rooted to the spot. Her heart pounded in her chest as she held his gaze.

He jumped as she wrenched her hands free, spinning around at speed and taking off in the direction they’d come. He reacted swiftly, chasing after her and throwing an arm around her waist and dragging her to a halt as he crushed her back tightly against his chest.

“Do not do this, sweetheart,” he urged. “She will press assault charges, please trust me on this. I know how twisted and facetious she is. She is not worth it. Please listen to me.”

“Get off me!” she snarled, wriggling to free herself from the iron hold he had on her. “Let me go!”

“No,” he said as he turned her and forcefully walked her forwards. “I will not let you do this. Think of your career.”

“Fuck my career!” she spat furiously. “And fuck her! She’s gone too far this time!”

“While I agree, and I share your thoughts that she deserves everything that is coming to her, do not lower yourself to that standard,” he urged. “You are better than this, Kai. You know this.”

She wriggled like a hellcat against him, succeeding in twisting herself around to face him. Fire blazed in the depths of her eyes. “She is doing everything she can to cause trouble for us, Thranduil,” she hissed. “And you’re happy to allow her to?!” Her voice rose with incredulousness.

“No,” he replied instantly. “However I value you far too much to stand back and see you destroy everything you have worked for. Your reputation, your career, your freedom. She is a dark-hearted being who only seeks to bring misery to those around her when she doesn’t get what she wants. If you give in to her, she’s won, and she will do everything she can to bring you even further down.”

Dark lashes blinked as her furious eyes held his, and he could see the inferno of rage that burned within them. Tense moments passed as he maintained his hold on her.

“You _will_ find a way back to doing the job that you love,” he said softly. “And if you act on your impulses right now, you stand to lose that chance.”

Eventually her shoulders sagged a little and he felt the destructive energy leave her.

“I’m doing this for you,” she said. “Not for me, for you. Because if I flip out and tear her face off like I really want to, the only thing that’ll achieve will be negative attention on you and your career. I don’t want that.”

He nodded slowly, lowering his eyes. “Thankyou,” he said quietly, then gave a nervous laugh. “I do not think I have ever had someone in my life who thought about what effects things would have on me.”

Her eyebrows arched downwards. “What do you mean?”

“What I said,” he answered her. “Anyone who I associated myself with only ever seemed to consider how their actions would affect themselves, never me or my career.” He paused. “I love you, Kai.”

Her heart melted as she gazed up at him, realising for the first time just how isolated stardom and fame could be and how he must have felt at different points throughout his working life. “I love you too,” she whispered. Her hands moved up his chest to his shoulders, where she pulled him down to kiss him. “I love you so much, and I will _always_ take your feelings into account. Always.”

And she meant it.


	29. Chapter 29

** CHAPTER TWENTY NINE **

****

“Thranduil!”

Silence.

“Thranduil!”

Further silence.

“THRANDUIL!”

He emerged from the basement with a bewildered look. “What’s wrong, my darling?” he asked.

Kai grunted in exasperation. “What d’you think?” She turned in a circle, and stood with her hands on her hips waiting for his response.

“You look absolutely beautiful,” he said. “Will you stop worrying? You’re meeting Legolas, not some Greek deity. Relax…you have nothing to worry about. You look amazing.”

She pulled one side of her mouth in, her anxiety reaching out to him loud and clear. Having chosen a pair of light blue jeans and a black v-necked top, she wondered if she looked presentable enough to meet her future step-son.

Thranduil approached her and took her hands in his. “You. Look. Adorable. Stop worrying,” he said. “Trust me. I would tell you if you didn’t look good.”

She eyed him with a look which clearly said she didn’t buy a word of it. “Why am I really nervous?”

“I do not know,” he replied. “Legolas is an amazing young man, and he will love you almost as much as I do. Now stop worrying. You are giving yourself creases around your eyes.”

She snorted.

“That’s not a very nice thing to say to a lady,” an amused voice said, making both of them spin around.

“Legolas!” Thranduil said with a wide grin. “How are you, son?” He stepped towards him and enclosed him in his arms.

“I’m fine,” his son answered with a grin that matched his father’s. His eyes moved over his shoulder. “Hi. I’m the offspring of this man-mountain,” he said to Kai. He approached her and surprised her by throwing his arms around her. “Although I’m the better looking of the Oropherion males.”

Thranduil tipped his head back and laughed, a deep laugh that came from his toes. “Oh, you are funny,” he responded. “The lovely lady that you hold is Kai, my future wife.”

“My condolences,” Legolas told her with a giggle. “Welcome to the family. How do you tolerate him? He drives me nuts.”

She laughed, his playful banter easing her nerves. “I manage,” she said. “I think it’s more a case of how does he put up with me, than the other way around.”

“Nonsense,” the taller blonde said. “Have you eaten, Legolas? When did your flight land?”

“Yes, and twenty minutes earlier than scheduled – for once. I was tempted to call the news channel. Flights are _never_ early. I wouldn’t say no to a cup of tea if you’re making one.”

“Have a seat, I’ll make it,” Kai said immediately. “You’ll be exhausted after the flight.”

“I actually feel wide awake,” he chirped. “Although I’m bound to crash sooner rather than later. I always find the jet lag’s worse on the way back. Dad, have you arranged a get-together with Thorin and the boys?”

“Good grief, let me get used to the fact that you’re here,” Thranduil grumbled. “One of his nephews mentioned it a couple of weeks back, but we were going to wait until you arrived and settled before making any concrete plans.”

His son crossed over to the couch and dropped onto it with the finesse of a bull. “I seriously doubt I’ll want to go out tonight, but I _am_ looking forward to catching up with the guys.”

“How long are you here for?”

“Four weeks,” he replied. “I need a break, Dad. The filming schedule’s ridiculous, and there are so many problems between the cast and crew. I’ve thought about ditching the whole project several times.”

“That’s not a good sign,” Kai commented, pouring water from the kettle into mugs. “You think that maybe having a break away will kick things back into motion when you go back?”

“I hope so, I really do,” he said. “My two leads are clashing off each other, there are more temper tantrums than you’d find in a crèche, and nobody can agree on any bloody thing.”

His father grunted as he lowered himself into a chair. “That sounds frighteningly familiar,” he commented.

“Yes…I hear things on your set aren’t going as rosy as Otis would have everyone believe,” the younger male said. “What’s happened?” He caught the look that passed between Thranduil and Kai. “Uh-oh. Olivia’s reputation living up to all expectations, is it?”

Thranduil frowned. “She’s causing major trouble for myself and Kai,” he replied. “ _Major_ trouble.”

“In what way?” Legolas questioned with a concerned frown.

His parent took a deep breath. “She’s tried several times to cause a rift between us, telling lies and insinuating things that were merely in her own twisted imagination,” he answered. “And now she’s managed to get her fired from her job.”

Baby blue eyes widened in surprise. “How come?”

He shrugged. “We’d gone out to Cat’s, a while back,” he said. “There was a crowd of us; guys I work with, and Kai’s team from the care unit. Olivia showed up and wouldn’t leave me alone, so we put on an act to make her think we were a couple. She recorded it on her cell phone and sent it to the unit manager.”

His son shook his head.

“The manager fired her for being in a relationship with someone legally connected to one of the patients,” Thranduil continued.

Silence descended.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that, Kai,” Legolas said, glancing at her. “I speak with Thorin quite regularly, and he’s always praising you up for the dedication you have to your work.”

She shrugged dejectedly. “There’s not much I can do about it,” she told him. “I didn’t tell your father because I knew he’d blame himself. I managed to get a job working nights in a supermarket, and she saw me and took it upon herself to tell him for me.”

“What a bitch,” he murmered. “She needs to be _gone,_ Dad,” he added to his father. “And as soon as possible. Like before filming ends. Replace her with someone else.”

“I cannot. We’re too far through production to change leads at this stage,” he said. “I just have to tolerate her poisonous barbs until we’ve completed the project.”

“What about all the red-carpet crap, the press conferences, the interviews? You can’t avoid her for that.”

One heavy eyebrow lifted. “Want to bet? She will not be accompanying me to any of those events. Not in a thousand years. I intend on taking my fiancée.”

Her own eyebrows rose in surprise. “Me?”

“Yes. You are going to be my wife,” he said as though it was as obvious as the cup she held. “Who else would go with me? Who else would I wish to have standing at my side?”

Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times as she fought for a reply.

“There is _no-one_ else,” he said firmly.

“But…but I’ve never been to anything like what you’re talking about,” she said.

“There is a first time for everything,” he answered. “I do not intend on having some trollop hanging onto me when I can have the most amazing, caring, beautiful woman in the world with me.” The corners of his eyes creased as he smiled at her, and her cheeks blushed pink.

Legolas grinned. “I say go with the flow, Kai. Just let him guide you, and enjoy the whole experience,” he advised as he sipped his tea. “He’s well-seasoned in the whole paparazzi thing, and you couldn’t be in better hands. Trust me.”

“I will take good care of her,” Thranduil said. He crossed one knee over the other. “And that is a promise.”

She smiled, despite the shock still racing through her at his announcement.

*****

Two days later.

Kai tipped her head back and howled with laughter.

Legolas, armed with a tankard of ale, was perched up on Bard’s shoulders, his arms waving around dramatically. Thorin had Kili, his nephew, up on his, and the four of them were involved in a cross between some sort of demented dance-off and a wrestling match.

Bofur let out a roar as the ale tipped and splashed all down his back, leaping to his feet and bumping the table in the process, which in turn knocked over Dwalin’s whiskey. Dwalin started to yell about idiots and folks who couldn’t control themselves, only to receive a torrent of abuse from Bofur for his trouble.

Thranduil pulled his lips in as he shook his head, amazed that his son only had to be in their company for half an hour before the boisterous behaviour started, and things ended up being broken or destroyed.

He winced at the sound of smashing glass. “Ok folks, I think it’s time we called it a day here and moved on elsewhere,” he decided. “Otherwise we’ll all be thrown out.”

Muttered grumbles and moans of complaint echoed around the assembled group, but he ignored them and pushed himself to his feet and helped Kai to hers.

“They get worse instead of better as they get older,” he said.

She grinned. “At least it’s not boring being out with them. Sometimes we used to all get together with one of the other shift teams from the unit and go out – I swear there was more life in a necrotic limb.”

He made a face at her comparison. “Wow, that’s gross,” he laughed.

“Maybe, but true,” she replied. She pulled his hand in tightly against her back as she followed his son and his boisterous friends out of the bar. Turning to face him and walking backwards, her happy smile met his. “I’ve really enjoyed myself tonight.”

He returned her smile, lifting his hand to her jaw and leaning down to brush his mouth over hers. “I’m glad,” he whispered. “I think the guys are planning on going clubbing – do you wish to join them?”

Her dark blue eyes studied his. “Are you going to?”

“That is not what I asked,” he replied with a laugh. “I wasn’t planning to. However, if you wish to go, then I will happily go with you.”

“Good, because I’m not really in the mood for jumping around a club,” she quipped. “What else did you have in mind?”

He tipped his head back a little and gazed up at the dark sky above them, mentally closing out the rabble from their companions. “How about going for something to eat, then going home and sharing a bath?” he suggested, looking back down at her.

Her smile widened. “That sounds like a great idea,” she said.

“Legolas! We are going to head off home, let you guys carry on with your whole partying-until-you-wreck-the-town thing,” he called over her head.

His son laughed as he turned to face them, walking backwards. “Feeling your age, Dad?” he teased.

“If you are lucky, you may get to live to reach my age,” his father replied drolly. “Have a good time, son. Stay safe and call me when you’re ready to come home.”

The younger blonde snorted and waved him off as he turned back to his friends. “We’ll pitch in for a cab,” he said over his shoulder. “G’night, Kai.”

“Good night,” she answered. “Enjoy yourselves.”

“I weep for the future of the establishments they intend on visiting,” Thranduil sighed, although with a trace of amusement in his tone. “And I fully expect a call at some ungodly hour through the night to either go and pick up the lot of them, drunk and half-comatose, or to have to go and bail them out after they’ve been arrested.”

“They’re a great bunch of people,” she said. She swung their joined hands between them as they walked out of the bar and over the parking lot. “I think they’ll look out for one another.”

He nodded. “They will. Legolas grew up around most of them, and they’re pretty tight. They miss one another when work takes them all over different parts of the world.”

“That’s something I’ll have to get used to,” she murmered.

“In what way?” he asked with a frown. Stopping beside the car, he clicked off the lock and opened the passenger door for her.

“Well, you won’t always be filming in the same city that you live in,” she pointed out. “I guess we’re really lucky location-wise right now.”

She slid into the car and he closed the door, before going around to get into the driver’s side.

“Anywhere I have to go my darling, you will be with me,” he told her. “I do not intend to traipse all over the globe leaving you alone with no-one. I assumed you would wish to accompany me wherever I happen to be.”

“Do other actors do that? Take their partners with them?” she asked as he started the car.

“I do not care what other actors do,” he answered. “And yes, some of them do. Some don’t. It depends on the individual, where they are being located, if there are young children involved, and a thousand other factors. It varies from one actor to another.” The car glided smoothly out onto the main road and turned in the direction of home. “Did you honestly think that I would abandon you and go jet-setting off by myself?”

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” she replied. “But I suppose on reflection, yeah…I probably did. I don’t know many people who take their other halves to work with them.”

He smiled as he drove, the occasional passing streetlights highlighting the perfect sculpture of his cheekbones. “I am not many people, and I can be away from home for months and months at a time,” he pointed out. “I do not wish to marry you and then be apart from you, so it stands to reason that you would accompany me, if you were in agreement.” He glanced over at her, and she caught a slight hint of vulnerability in his quick look.

“Oh Thranduil…of course I’d want to be with you,” she said. She reached over and he released one hand from the steering wheel and gripped hers with a squeeze, while maintaining his attention on the dark road. “I can’t imagine going back to not being around you as often as I am.”

“I am glad we’ve spoken about this,” he said quietly. “I must admit, it has been on my mind for some time now. I wanted to bring the subject up but wasn’t really sure how to without sounding demanding and territorial.”

“You’re bonkers for even thinking like that,” she said, releasing his hand so he could focus on driving more effectively. “With all the shit we’ve come through, especially in such a short time, we should be able to talk to each other about anything and everything, without the worry of upsetting one another. God – I know that I of all people should’ve learned that lesson at least.”

“I have a question,” he said suddenly, after a short silence. “Do you intend on contacting your family as regards to our wedding?”

“No. It’s between you and I, and doesn’t concern them in the slightest,” she replied. “I don’t want them there,  nor do I want anything to do with them. Ever. That ship has _long_ sailed. In fact…the fucker sunk.”

A burst of laughter echoed around the interior of the vehicle. “Ok, I just wanted to make sure,” he chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. “I suppose you couldn’t have said it any plainer than that, sweetheart.” He glanced at her as he steered around a corner. “I just want for you to be happy, my love.”

“I am,” she assured him with a smile. “I have you in my life, I have two crazy mutts and a mental cat around me, and I’ve met the most amazing young guy who’s an absolute credit to his father. So yes – I’m happy.”

“Then so am I,” he said.


	30. Chapter 30

** CHAPTER THIRTY **

****

Kai stifled a laugh as Legolas flopped down face-first onto the couch, landing with a thump with his feet and legs dangling on the floor.

Thranduil eyed his son warily over the rim of his coffee cup, saying nothing.

“I feel like _shit_ ,” the younger Oropherion moaned into the cushions. “My head hurts, I’ve thrown up twice already, and I think my stomach is nothing more than a volcano erupting lava whenever it feels like it. I’m dying.”

She pushed herself to her feet from where she’d been sitting curled up next to his father and ruffled his hair as she walked past. “I’ll make you a coffee,” she said.

He grumbled something unintelligible into the soft furnishings.

Thranduil snorted. “I assume you partook in a little over-indulgence last night?” he quipped.

Blood-shot eyes glared at him as his son lifted his head. “Really, Einstein? That’s all you can come up with? Jesus.” His head crashed back down again.

His parent smirked. “I could come up with twenty different theories as to why your insides feel the way they do, but the only correct answer is the amount of alcohol you consumed,” he replied. “Which I presume, judging by the time you fell through the door this morning, was quite a lot.”

Another muffled grunt. “I had my fair share,” he muttered as he turned his head sideways so he could squint at the older blonde. “How come you both left early? Feeling your age, old man?”

One eyebrow lifted briefly in acknowledgement. “I did not wish to be in the state that you’re in come this morning,” he told him. “Which is why I made the decision with Kai to quit while I was still sober enough to remember my way home. Something I’m surprised you managed to do.”

More muttered susurrations.

“What?”

The younger blonde lifted his head and squinted. “I said…at least I had a good time,” he repeated irritably. “I didn’t decide to bail out and have an early night.”

“Who said anything about an early night?” Thranduil smirked, taking another drink of his coffee.

“Oh _puh-lease_ ,” Legolas grunted as his head slammed down again. It promptly lifted back up again. “What time do you want me this afternoon?”

“Two o’clock,” the reply came.

“Umphhh,” he muttered as he swung himself round to a sitting position. “Thankyou, Kai,” he said as she handed him a steaming hot coffee on her way past.

“Do you remember anything from last night?” she asked, settling back next to Thranduil. His arm immediately slid around her waist, tugging her closer.

His son frowned. “I remember we were thrown out of Galio’s,” he said slowly. “I think Thorin punched some drunk guy because he pulled his ponytail or something. After that, it’s all pretty much a blur. I don’t know where we ended up.”

“You are lucky it wasn’t upside down in a dumpster somewhere,” Thranduil said. “I thought the whole entourage had come back last night, with all the racket you made. Then I heard only one drunken bum falling on the stairs and decided that it had only been you to return. Honestly – you almost took the front door off.”

“Damned thing wouldn’t unlock!”

“That may be because I’d purposely left it _un_ locked, my child,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “There is nothing more humiliating and frustrating than trying to get a key into a lock when you cannot even focus on the thing.”

Kai sniggered behind her own cup. “At least you had a good time,” she said. “Even though you’re paying for it this morning.”

“It feels like I’m paying for _everybody’s_ good time,” Legolas corrected. “Oh my God I need to shake a leg and snap out of this. Dad, did you happen to see my dark grey shirt in the laundry?”

“Yes. It has been washed, dried, and Kai ironed it,” he replied.

“Yassss,” he grinned. “That’ll do me for later on, once I’ve had a shower and organised myself a little better. We’re all getting together for a meal tonight – are you guys coming?”

Thranduil and Kai exchanged a glance.

“I doubt it,” he said. “I’m not sure what time I will be finished on set today, so I wouldn’t want to agree and then let you down.”

“I’m planning on going back over to my house with one of my work-mates, and sorting through some stuff,” she said. “You dad’ll pick me up from there probably once he finishes work, so I can’t commit either.”

“That’s fine, I just wondered if you were planning on going,” Legolas said. “No alcohol. Definitely no alcohol.”

His father grinned. “Stop trying to convince us and convince yourself,” he advised. Setting his mug down, he turned and kissed Kai. “I have to go, my darling.”

“Ok…have a great day,” she murmered. The pads of her fingers trailed down his cheek, and he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said with a smile.

“Too early for this mush,” Legolas grunted, shaking his head.

Thranduil scowled down at his offspring. “Behave yourself,” he said. “I will see you later.”

“Will do, old man,” he quipped, grinning as his parent showed him his middle finger by way of response.

Kai burst out laughing. “I’ve never seen him do anything like that!” she exclaimed.

“My son brings out the worst in me, my love,” he called from halfway up the stairs. “Pay no attention. Normal service will resume once he’s gone back to his job.”

Legolas laughed. “He’s not a bad soul,” he said. “This coffee is amazing…not dad’s usual brand.”

“No, it’s Dutch,” she told him. “I’ve been drinking it for years, and I think I unintentionally converted him. He’s been buying that one more often these days.”

The younger Oropherion gazed at her. “You’re good for him,” he said. “I see changes in him. Little changes, little things I never noticed before. But they’re definitely there, and I’m not the only one who can see it. We were talking about it last night…somewhere…” He broke off with a laugh.

She joined in his laughter. “I’m surprised you can remember a single thing,” she said humorously. “I doubt I’d even be able to have surfaced at this hour if I’d been in the state you were in.”

“Nah…I can usually hold my liquor reasonably well, and it takes a lot to get me drunk,” he replied as he rolled onto his back with a painful groan. “I need to get a move on. Dad’s meeting me for a business lunch later, and right now I feel like my arse has been welded to this couch.”

“There are worse places for it to be welded to, I suppose,” she commented as she drained the last of her coffee. “I have to get a move on myself; Robbie’s picking me up in half an hour and I’m nowhere near ready. Catch you later on tonight?”

“Will do,” he answered, grunting as he rolled onto the floor with a thud. “Enjoy your day.”

*****

A week passed.

Kai noticed a slight difference in Thranduil. He seemed a little preoccupied, as though he had something on his mind. Each night he’d returned home from work exhausted, but made a point of giving her his attention nevertheless. Legolas spent his days smirking secretively and muttering under his breath, and she wondered if he was going mad or something.

“What’s with you and Leggy?” she asked one night, curled up against her lover’s chest.

“In what way, my little Tiger-Feet?” he asked sleepily.

“You’ve got things on your mind, and he’s sneaking around like he’s a secret agent or something,” she said. She wrapped a lock of his hair around her index finger as she spoke. “Is everything alright with you two?”

“Everything is fine, my love,” he told her. He lifted his head from the back of the couch and looked down at her. “Although I have some unexpected news.”

Her eyebrows lifted expectantly.

“Olivia was fired from production yesterday.”

She gasped, shooting up into an upright position and almost falling off his legs in the process. His strong arms grabbed her as he steadied her.

“ _What_? What happened?” she asked, shocked.

“Conflict of interest,” he answered. “There is a business deal going down behind the scenes, and she was caught in the middle of it, with unsavoury results for her and everyone connected with her. Otis fired her immediately.”

She blinked as she gazed at him. “But what about the movie?”

He shrugged. “Her scenes will have to be re-shot with whoever they cast in her place,” he said. “It’ll cost a lot of money, but it’s not impossible. The casting guys are going through the original auditions and drawing up a shortlist of replacements.”

“Wow,” she said. “I’m…I’m stunned. Pleased, but stunned.”

He chuckled, the deep sound vibrating through his chest as she leaned back against him. “I thought that this would be welcome news. Thorin tells me she left on a flight to Florida this morning. So she can cause no more trouble, my darling. She’s gone.”

“I never did get to kick her arse,” she muttered, making him laugh again.

“And that makes you the better person; the stronger person,” he said, his laughter deepening as she scowled up at him. “What? I speak the truth.”

She didn’t comment.

“I’m going to have a quick shower before bed,” he said on a soft sigh. “Will you join me?”

“I thought you would never ask,” she replied with a grin. “But kiss me first.”

“Of course,” he murmered as he gripped her hips and lifted her into a better position. His mouth touched hers as her eyes fluttered closed, encouraging a deep hum of satisfaction from her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into the kiss, deepening it and pushing it further.

“I think we should continue this in the shower,” he whispered as he pulled back a little. Lust sparkled in his eyes as he gazed at her. “I want to strip you naked and lick you all over…”

His words were lost as she crashed her mouth back against his and tangled her fingers in his hair. A gentle rumble of laughter passed through the kiss as he scooted to the edge of the couch and stood, taking her with him.

*****

Thranduil frowned as he glanced over at Kai, who fiddled  with the diamond engagement ring he’d presented her with a few days after asking her to marry him. The large stone caught the sunlight, reflecting a rainbow of colour.

“Is everything ok?” he asked, concerned.

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m just wondering where we’re going. You’ve been really secretive lately.”

A grin tugged at his mouth. “You shouldn’t always assume the worst,” he told her, spinning the steering wheel round as he swept the car around the curved road. “Which reminds me…I was _really_ impressed with your decision to rent out your house.”

She smiled. She’d told him that morning about not wanting to sell the house as it was the only connection that she had with her uncle, and he’d been good to her when he was alive. Having no need for the place as she spent all her time with Thranduil, the next logical option was for her to rent it.

And Robbie was the ideal candidate.

She knew he wouldn’t destroy her old home, and would treat it with the same tender care she’d put into building it into what it now was. The rent she would be charging was considerably less than what he’d been paying for his apartment, and having a house meant he would be able to have a dog like he’d always wanted.

“I think Robbie’ll do alright there,” she said. “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have in the place. He’ll look after it the way I did – probably better if I know him and his diva-like ways.”

Thranduil laughed. “I just think that it was a really nice thing for you to do,” he told her. “You’re keeping part of your uncle with you, but moving on at the same time and embracing what the future has in store.”

“Talking about the future, where are we going?” she asked, gazing at the buildings sweeping past. “What’s all the suspense and mystery?”

“I like to tease you, my darling,” he answered, shooting her another glance. “In _many_ ways.”

She laughed. “Give me a hint,” she said.

“Hmmm. A hint. Let me think. We’re meeting Legolas, Thorin, and Otis,” he said. “Does that give you anything to work with?”

“Huh?! No, it does not,” she shot back. “What the fuck sort of a hint is _that_?”

His head tipped back as he roared with laughter. “Oh I _love_ teasing you! You will never know just how much fun I get from it.”

“I don’t like you,” she huffed.

He snorted. “Yes, you do. You love me.” Another glance and a wicked grin followed.

“Fine – I do. But I don’t like you,” she spat, making him laugh heartily. Her face straightened as she realised he’d turned the car up a very familiar drive, and her heart started pounding in panic. “Thranduil…what are we doing here?”

He didn’t answer as he switched off the engine and climbed out of the vehicle. He went around it and opened her door, holding his hand out for her. “Come on.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m not going in there.”

“Yes, you are,” he told her, reaching in and pulling her hand. “Come on.” Being a lot taller, heavier, and stronger, he had her out of the car with very little effort.

“Thranduil, don’t make me do this… _please_ ,” she whispered.

He gazed down into her eyes which were brimming with tears already. “Kai, I love you with everything that I have and am,” he told her. “And to move forwards, you have to do this. I will be at your side, I will not leave you. I promise. Come on.”

He felt the tremble in her body as he tugged her towards the door of the building. Legolas appeared and opened it with a grin.

“About time, you two,” he quipped. “Smile, Kai – it’s all good.” He winked at her, noting her pale face and the panic in her eyes.

Her gaze moved past him to settle on Thorin and Otis. Thorin beamed at her, while Otis had his usual look of irritation and impatience.

“Shall we proceed?” Thranduil asked.

“With pleasure,” his agent replied, his grin widening. He opened the internal door and ushered the tall blonde through, who determinedly pulled Kai along with him. Legolas followed, then Otis, with himself bringing up the rear.

Familiar smells and feelings cascaded over her as she stepped inside, and her tremble intensified. Sensing it, Thranduil’s fingers tightened around hers reassuringly. Her heart pounded furiously, and she felt the need to turn tail and run.

“Kai??” a voice called in surprise. “Kai??? What are you doing here??”

Her panicked gaze turned towards Lucy, who had appeared from the day room carrying a tray.

“She is here for a meeting,” Thranduil answered smoothly, guiding her past her former colleague.

“Oh…this I just _have_ to see,” Lucy said enthusiastically, turning and tossing the tray to Ed who’d appeared behind her with his mouth open in shock. “Take over, Numb-Nuts.”

“Where’s Alex?” Thranduil demanded.

“In the dining room, doing paperwork,” she answered, hurrying along behind them.

He strode along the hallway with a purpose, going straight into the large dining room.

Alex looked up, and his mouth dropped. “You…out,” he said the instant he spotted Kai.

“She stays,” he retorted.

“I’m the boss here-“ the smaller man began.

“Do you want to place a wager on that, my friend?” Thorin asked, sliding a glossy document wallet onto the table in front of him.

Alex looked from him to the wallet, then back again. “What the hell’s this?”

Legolas leaned his fists on the table and glared at him. “This is the Oropherion-Oakenshield-Turner Corporation,” he said, his baby blue eyes glinting dangerously. “As of 0900 hours this morning, we are now the legal proprietors of this Dementia Unit. We own everything, lock, stock, and barrel.”

A stunned silence fell, and the staff who had gathered in the doorway stood in shocked silence.

“This is fucking preposterous!” Alex shouted, rising to his feet. “The owners have sold the business, but-“

“But nothing,” Thorin interrupted. “Look at the paperwork. It’s all there, all legally watertight.”

Kai felt as though the floor was tipping under her feet. Thranduil sensed this and glanced at her in concern, pulling her a little tighter against him.

Otis wandered over to one of the large bay windows. “I think a decorative water fountain right over here would be interesting,” he commented. “Thoughts, guys?”

Legolas smirked.

“You can’t do this,” Alex growled. “She has _no_ business being on the premises!” He pointed angrily at Kai. “She was fired!”

“ _She_ is now one-fifth owner of this company,” Thranduil corrected. “Which technically, makes her your boss.”

“Technically, it doesn’t,” Thorin said, looking at both of them with a knowing grin. “Because you, my friend-“ he turned back to Alex. “-are fired.”

Everybody in the doorway gasped.

Kai gasped.

Alex looked as though he was about to collapse.

Thranduil leaned towards him, towering over him as he glared down at him. “You fired Kai because of something which I instigated, and she was an innocent party, yet you punished her anyway. _And_ you threw personal problems in her face and used that as an excuse too. I do not want the likes of you around the patients, or the staff. So…pack your belongings together and get out of here. You have ten minutes, or I call the police.”

Alex paled further, realising the angry giant before him was using the words he’d spat at Kai weeks before. “This isn’t over,” he ground out. “I’ll fight you on this, and you’d better believe it!”

“Carry on,” Otis said, turning away from the window. “We had the best team of attorneys in the country working on this. You won’t find anything to save your ass on this one. Your little informant has gone too – she left on a flight yesterday. So it looks like you’re on your sweet own-some. I _really_ think we should have the fountain guys, although maybe further to the left.”

Legolas snorted with laughter and turned away. Thorin pulled his lips in in an attempt to hide his amusement.

Alex glared at each one of them, his cold gaze finally settling on Kai. “You fucking whore,” he hissed. “Are you fucking all of them or something? I bet-“

His words stopped in a choked grunt as Thranduil grabbed his throat with his free hand and slammed him hard against the wall. “ _Do not speak to her,_ ” he hissed furiously. “You are not _worthy_ to speak to her, you fucking miserable bastard.”

“Ok Thran, let him go, buddy,” Thorin advised calmly, trying to step in between them. Not an easy task, as one hand still gripped Kai’s, and the other retained the iron grip around Alex’s throat. “Let him go, man. And wash your hands.”

A few seconds passed before Thranduil slowly relaxed his grip. “Get the fuck out of here,” he spat in disgust.

The smaller man didn’t need telling again, and shot out of the room. The congregated staff started applauding.

“Welcome back, Kai,” Stevie grinned.

They disappeared back to their duties, leaving the group alone in the dining room.

Kai turned to Thranduil. Her mouth opened, but no words came out.

He smiled as he lifted his free hand and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “Call this my wedding gift to you,” he said softly. “I told you that you would find your way back into the job that you were born to do.”

Tears filled her eyes as she gazed up at him, and she still couldn’t speak.

“Breathe, my love,” he said.

Otis ambled passed. “Ok people, I have a movie that’s like eighteen thousand years behind schedule, so I’m going to head back,” he said. “Oakenshield, talk to your client, get his love-struck head outta his dumb ass and have him back on set tomorrow morning goddammit, before I have a nervous breakdown and take up a drug habit or something.”

Thorin chuckled. “I’ll see you out,” he said, and indicated to Legolas to follow as they left the dining room.

Thranduil and Kai ignored them.

“Thranduil…I…” she whispered brokenly.

“I know, my darling – I know,” he whispered back.

She sniffed hard and leaned towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Large, warm hands settled on her back as he held her. “I love you,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “I love you so fucking much.”

He grinned. “And I love you more. But we have work to do. I need to grab Legolas and Thorin and meet with the emergency relief manager who should be arriving any time now, and you need to call Robbie and get him back on the rota. Then you need to spend time with your patients and your staff, and decide what you want to do.”

“In what way?” she murmered, lifting her head from the warmth of his body and looking into his eyes.

He shrugged. “You need to decide whether you want to simply remain a remote partner in the business, if you want to take over the manager’s position, or if you want to go back to doing what you did before,” he said.

“I want to do what I did before,” she replied instantly. “I miss everybody so much. I don’t want to be stuck in a damned office all the time.”

He smiled. “Then do whatever makes you happy. But with the pull of being a boss – you will still outrank whatever manager takes over in a permanent position. Do not forget that. Do what you have to, to be happy, my love. That is all I ask.”

Her lower lip trembled. “I love you, Thranduil,” she whispered.

“I love you too, my little Tiger-Feet,” he whispered back, and brushed his mouth over hers. “And I always will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thranduil's little Tiger has finally come home, both personally and professionally. She's back to doing what she does best, and has the unwavering love and support of her big blonde hunk. With him, she'll be able to handle whatever life throws at her, and she knows she'll never be alone again. And likewise, with her, Thranduil knows that he's finally found his true love and can look forward to planning his life with her.
> 
> This has been lots of fun to write, relying heavily on my own profession for references and experiences of Kai's working life. Many thanks as always to those of you who've read this, kudo'd, bookmarked, and commented. Each one of you are very special to me, and I hope to continue to enthrall you as I write more Thranduil works.
> 
> Speaking of more Thranduil works, "Burn Again" will be starting VERY shortly - I hope to see you there x


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